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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Swedish Health Services CEO resigns days after Seattle Times investigation

SEATTLE – The CEO of Swedish Health Services has resigned from his post, nearly two weeks after a Seattle Times investigation revealed turmoil inside Swedish’s neurosurgery institute.

In a statement Tuesday, Swedish said Tony Armada told board trustees Monday he believed stepping down was in the best interest of the organization.

The board named Dr. R. Guy Hudson as interim CEO. He most recently served as the chief of physician services for Western Washington.

The Seattle Times says Armada joined Swedish in November 2013, just as its neurosurgery unit was shifting toward a high-volume practice. Just a couple months prior, Swedish’s parent organization, Providence, had hired Dr. Johnny Delashaw to work at the Swedish neuroscience campus.

The Times said doctors in recent months expressed concerns to Armada and others that there were patient safety issues at the neurosurgery institute, particularly when it came to Delashaw.