Parkside names interim chief executive officer

TULSA, Okla. (AP) -- The new interim chief executive officer at Parkside Psychiatric Hospital said assessing the hospitals' needs is among his top priorities after the hospital's previous CEO resigned amid allegations of mismanagement.

William McDonald of Delray Beach, Fla., has previously served as associate executive director of Presbyterian Hospital in Oklahoma City. His most recent assignment was at the Hunter Group, a health care management corporation based in St. Petersburg, Fla.

He replaces Paul Greever, who resigned in September.

McDonald, who began work at Parkside Tuesday, said his stay as temporary CEO could run from three to 10 months.

"I will stay until the work is done, and that's variable at this point," he said. "But I have found that this hospital has not lost its focus."

The interim director is expected to execute changes at the hospital that have been ordered by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. The state agency ordered improvements at Parkside after an audit of its programs in August.

Parkside retained its $10 million in state contracts Oct. 13 after submitting a plan that included meeting 41 requirements including tighter security, increased outpatient services and expanded medicine accessibility.