Novant Health Names New CFO

Name: Alice Pope

Previous title: Chief financial officer, Inova Health System

New title: Executive vice president and chief financial officer, Novant Health

Pope will take on the CFO role on May 13, the Winston-Salem, North Carolina-based health system said Thursday. 

She previously served as CFO at Inova Health System in Virginia. She was also the chief financial executive at HonorHealth in Arizona and Wellmont Health System in Tennessee.

Pope will provide strategic leadership, planning and recommendations to ensure financial stability at Novant, the system said.

The executive appointment helps fill out the system’s leadership team, which has been impacted by recent departures. Novant’s previous CFO, Frederick Hargett, joined UPMC last year after 15 years at the North Carolina-based provider. Jeff Lindsay, Novant’s former chief operating officer, began work at UNC Health late last year following a nearly three-decade career at the system.

Novant conducted multiple rounds of layoffs last year. In October, the system cut 160 jobs, saying the layoffs across the system would help it operate more efficiently amid a “challenging healthcare environment.” It reported $460.8 million in excess revenues over expenses in 2023, compared with a $222.8 million loss in 2022. 

The system has pursued acquisitions in recent months as well. In February, Novant closed a $2.4 billion purchase of three South Carolina hospitals from Tenet Healthcare. 

The provider is trying to buy two North Carolina hospitals from Community Health Systems too, but the Federal Trade Commission sued to block the deal earlier this year. The agency said the acquisition would reduce competition in the region and increase healthcare costs. The case is ongoing.