After six years at the helm of Central Health, President and CEO Mike Geeslin plans to step down at the end of the year.
“It’s time for the next phase of life,” Gizlin, 54, said.
When Geeslin was hired in 2017, Central Health planned for the CEO position to be five to seven years.
“I’m a big believer in organizational planning,” he said, adding that he is leaving Central Health’s board of managers with a succession plan in place.
Under his watch, Central Health has grown over the past six years. It now has 230 employees and an annual budget of $305 million plus about $370 million in reserves. Its fiscal 2017 budget was $240 million with $29 million in reserves.
Geeslin also led Central Health to begin operating its own clinics to meet health needs in the community. Previously, it primarily partnered with organizations such as CommUnity Care Clinics, Ascension Seton Hospital System, and UT Health Austin, Dell Medical School’s clinical practice providing care for the poor.
“Mike was an excellent and outstanding servant leader,” said Dr. Charles Bell, chairman of Central Health’s board. “He puts patients first in everything he does.”
This year, Central Health has plans to open two new primary care clinics in Del Valle and Hornsby Bend. It raised $77.8 million in funding for these projects.
Central Health also has a health equity plan to expand access to health care in areas of the county where there have been health deserts.
“This work will continue,” Geeslin said.
“He’s built a team here that is absolutely outstanding,” Bell said. “We appreciate what he left behind.”
Central Health is the hospital district for Travis County and provides health care to people who make less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, which is $59,356 for a family of four with two children under 18. Central Health does this by providing its Medical Access Program and Medical Access Basic program. It also connects people with Medicaid and Medicare, as well as its Sendero health plans on the health insurance marketplace.
Central Health is funded by a property tax of 9.864 cents per $100 valuation.
It also just received approval from Travis County commissioners for a $90.5 million project in Northeast Austin to renovate a complex to provide 50 post-hospitalization respite beds for people experiencing homelessness. On Friday, he signed a contract for the property at 7901 Cameron Road, Buildings A, B and C.
It will spend another $9 million to renovate the Rosewood-Zaragosa Clinic in East Austin to increase access to specialty care in cardiology, gastroenterology, nephrology, neurology, podiatry and pulmonology.
It is also planning a $16 million clinic project in Colony Park and is asking that community what its needs are to tailor that clinic to the community.
Geeslin’s tenure was not without controversy. In 2017, Central Health was sued over the $35 million it and Ascension Seton gave to Dell Medical School through their joint nonprofit, the Community Care Collaborative. This case is ongoing.
This year, the Central Health and Ascension Texas hospital systems are suing each other over the number of indigent care cases seen at Dell Seton Medical Center, the safety net hospital operated by Ascension Texas, and Central Health’s reimbursement for that care. The hospital district is asking a judge to let it buy Dell Seton and run it.
Critics from community groups, including LULAC and the NAACP, also charged that Central Health is not doing enough to help people at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
“I give space to critics to have an opinion,” Geeslin said. This change in leadership has nothing to do with these lawsuits or critics, he said. “We have done an incredible amount of work in advancing the health safety program,” he said.
Those critics led to the start of a performance audit by auditing firm Mazars USA, which is expected to provide results to Travis County commissioners in January.
New projects:Central Health raises $100 million to fund rehab clinic, repairs amid audit
How will the CEO search be conducted?
The Board will establish an ad hoc committee to plan next steps. Bell said it’s unclear whether there will be an interim executive director or if he will move to fill the position permanently. Bell said no plans have been made to use a recruiter.