Former St. Vincent Hospital executive takes the reins at MetroWest Medical Center

FRAMINGHAM – MetroWest Medical Center announced a leadership change Monday as Chief Executive Officer Andrew Harding is replaced by Ava Collins, former chief operating officer at St. Vincent Hospital in Worcester.

“It’s an honor to join the talented team at MetroWest Medical Center,” said Collins in a prepared statement. “I look forward to continuing the strong commitment to providing high-quality care to patients and the surrounding communities during this dynamic time in healthcare.” 

A medical center spokeswoman said in an email Monday afternoon to the Daily News that Harding left his role and is no longer with the medical center. Harding was appointed as CEO in October 2018, after serving as interim about two months.

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MetroWest Medical Center includes Framingham Union Hospital and Leonard Morse Hospital in Natick. The medical center and St. Vincent Hospital are owned by for-profit Tenet Healthcare based in Dallas.

Change disappoints foundation 

"Disappointed" is the word Martin Cohen, president and chief executive officer at the MetroWest Health Foundation, used to describe the loss of Harding. The foundation provides $5 million annually in financial support to meet the health needs of 25 MetroWest communities.

"I had a very good relationship with Drew. We communicated all the time," said Cohen. "He was always looking at what were the health needs in the community. Hopefully, we will see that in his replacement."

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The coronavirus pandemic placed financial pressures on the medical center during Harding's leadership. In April, the center announced an unspecified number of furloughs because of declining revenue.

Collins' tenure at St. Vincent

Collins was named St. Vincent's chief operating officer in March 2016, and also served as the hospital’s interim chief executive officer from August 2018 to May 2019.

She also led COVID-19 operations for the hospital, according to Monday’s release, including a comprehensive recovery and resurgence plan. It was during this time that nurses at St. Vincent expressed concerns about working conditions during the pandemic.

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Last week, hundreds of nurses picketed outside the hospital, calling for more staff, more personal protective equipment and a more collaborative plan to address what they called “deteriorating conditions” at the hospital amid the COVID-19 pandemic and contract negotiations. 

Nurses at the hospital have been negotiating a new contract since October 2019, although negotiations were voluntarily suspended during the first surge of the pandemic. 

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A St. Vincent spokesperson said the hospital was “surprised and disappointed” the Massachusetts Nurses Association would picket when COVID-19 cases are skyrocketing. The spokesperson claimed the nurses were disseminating “inflammatory and misleading” rhetoric to advance their bargaining position.

In April, St. Vincent announced 50 nurses were voluntarily furloughed due to anticipated revenue losses caused by the pandemic. The MNA disputes the claim of falling revenues. It says Tenet received more than $1.6 billion in loans and grants from the federal government as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. The company also made more than $1 billion in profits in the first three quarters of 2020, the MNA said.

Collins' accomplishments at St. Vincent

Monday’s press release said Collins' key strategic initiatives at St. Vincent included expansion of primary service line programs and implementation of high-impact capital projects. Collins also served as group chief operating officer for the Massachusetts and South Carolina Markets for Tenet Health.

“I am excited to announce Ava Collins as the new Chief Executive Officer of MetroWest Medical Center,” said Tenet Massachusetts Chief Executive Officer Carolyn Jackson in a prepared statement. “With more than 25 years of experience in healthcare, Ava is well-positioned to not only continue MetroWest Medical Center’s tradition of offering high-quality care to the community, but to also bring the hospital’s accomplishments to new heights.”

Henry Schwan is the health reporter for the Daily News. Follow Henry on Twitter @henrymetrowest. He can be reached at hschwan@wickedlocal.com or 508-626-3964.