New CEO of three Emory Healthcare facilities announced

Officials with Emory Healthcare recently announced that Jen Schuck has been named chief executive officer (CEO) of Emory Decatur Hospital, Emory Hillandale Hospital and Emory Long-Term Acute Care, effective immediately. Schuck currently serves as interim CEO of the three facilities.

“Jen has been a phenomenal leader and member of the executive team at Emory Decatur Hospital since 2018,” said Bryce Gartland, MD, Emory Healthcare Hospital Group president. “She is a strategic thinker, focused operator, and compassionate leader. I am excited to see Jen take this next step at Emory Healthcare, as we welcome her permanently to the CEO role.”

Schuck began her career at Emory Healthcare 28 years ago as a social worker at Wesley Woods Geriatric Hospital (now Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods). Following progression through care coordination leadership roles, Schuck changed her focus to hospital operations management and was promoted to associate administrator and eventually vice president of operations at Emory University Hospital at Wesley Woods, according to a news release. She also served as the Emory Healthcare system leader for post-acute care services until 2018.

In 2018, Schuck was part of the Emory Healthcare team that integrated the former DeKalb Medical Center and Decatur Health Resources under Emory Healthcare, stated the release. As part of the integration, DeKalb Medical’s North Decatur Road hospital was renamed Emory Decatur Hospital, its Hillandale-based hospital became Emory Hillandale Hospital and its long-term care facility in downtown Decatur became Emory Long-Term Acute Care. With the new collaboration, Schuck was appointed vice president of operations at Emory Decatur Hospital, playing a key role to ensure the teams worked cohesively to integrate systems and practices, stated officials.

Most recently, as interim CEO of the three facilities, Schuck has been responsible for overseeing more than 3,200 staff members and 3,700 credentialed physicians, according to the release.

“I am honored to take on this permanent role and look forward to our ongoing work with an amazing health care team, focused on providing safe, high-quality and compassionate care to our patients and their families,” said Schuck. “My continued priorities will be maintaining access to care at our community-based hospitals, strengthening the patient experience, collaborating with our surrounding communities and improving operational efficiency.”

Schuck served as interim CEO after Rashard Johnson, who was hired as CEO in June 2022, left Emory earlier this year to serve as president of South Market Atrium Health.

In October of 2022, DeKalb County CEO Michael Thurmond and the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners approved a $20 million proposal designed to “enhance emergency department services at Emory Hillandale Hospital and reduce Grady Hospital’s operating deficit,” after the closure of Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center.

During a presentation given to the DeKalb County Board of Commissioners last year, Emory Healthcare officials said based upon the current market, patient flow and proximity, Emory Healthcare anticipates its hospitals will receive 33 to 40 percent of the former Wellstar Atlanta Medical Center’s emergency room volume.

For more information, visit https://news.emory.edu/index.html.

Christine Fonville contributed to this article.