TOWNSHEND — The Board of Trustees of Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital recently appointed Douglas F. DiVello to the position of chief executive officer, effective Feb. 12. DiVello succeeds Roger Allbee, who announced his plans last July to retire from this position as soon as a successor was hired.
DiVello was the CEO at Alice Hyde Medical Center in Malone, N.Y., from 2012 until May 2017, when the hospital became part of the University of Vermont Health Network.
From 2002-2012, he was the VP of Professional & Support Services at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine. Prior to that, he was at Norton Hospital in Louisville, Ky., with previous experience at Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.
DiVello is a graduate of Western Maryland College with an MPA in health administration from Long Island University.
An extensive search was launched this past fall, and DiVello was selected from over 50 applicants and five finalists.
“We are honored to have someone with Doug's impressive healthcare credentials coming to lead Grace Cottage,” Board President Stephan Morse said in a news release.
“In today's complex and evolving healthcare landscape, Grace Cottage Hospital is remarkably unique,” DiVello said. “The organization is a national leader in providing hands-on care in a personal and compassionate manner, and I am excited and proud that Grace Cottage has chosen me to join their talented and exceptional team.”
Grace Cottage Family Health & Hospital is located in Townshend. It includes a traditional primary care practice, a 19-bed hospital, and a 24/7 emergency department. The medical center also has an outpatient rehab department, a laboratory, diagnostic imaging, and a full-service retail pharmacy.
In 2017, Grace Cottage was recognized as a Top 20 Critical Access Hospital in the USA for Patient Satisfaction by the National Rural Health Association.