Heywood Healthcare, the Gardner-based operator of two of Central Massachusetts’ largest hospitals, is on the hunt for a new chief medical officer as the system’s current CMO Dr. Frank Sweeney is set to retire.
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Heywood Healthcare, the Gardner-based operator of two of Central Massachusetts’ largest hospitals, is on the hunt for a new chief medical officer as the system’s current CMO Dr. Frank Sweeney is set to retire.
Sweeney came out of retirement in January 2025 to assume Heywood’s CMO role during a time of stabilization and transition for Heywood, which had exited Chapter 11 bankruptcy three months prior, Rozanna Penney, Heywood president and CEO, said in an email to WBJ.
“Dr. Frank Sweeney has served Heywood Healthcare and our community with extraordinary dedication for many years as a trusted primary care physician, president of the Heywood Physician Hospital Organization, and a valued trustee of our board,” Penney said. “Dr. Sweeney is an exceptional physician leader, and it has been a privilege to work alongside him on our senior leadership team.”
Heywood posted a job listing for a new CMO last week, said Penney, as Sweeney transitions back into retirement. While he is stepping away from the C-suite role, Sweeney will continue to serve as president of Heywood Physician Hospital Organization and as a Heywood Healthcare trustee.
“We are deeply grateful for his leadership, judgment, and unwavering commitment to our medical staff and patients. If we could clone him and keep him, we absolutely would,” Penney said.
Heywood is still determining a timeline for the position’s transition. The system’s new CMO will act as the system’s senior physician executive while providing clinical leadership and medical oversight for Heywood Hospital in Gardner, Athol Hospital, and Heywood Medical Group.
Key qualifications for the position include a doctor of medicine or doctor of osteopathic medicine degree, at least seven to 10 years of experience in medical affairs, physician leadership, or healthcare administration leadership, community-based or rural healthcare systems experience, and knowledge of Massachusetts healthcare regulations, according to Heywood’s job listing.
“This is a unique opportunity for a mission-driven physician executive to help shape the future of healthcare delivery in our communities, strengthening medical staff engagement, advancing quality initiatives, and ensuring that clinical excellence remains at the core of Heywood Healthcare’s strategic direction,” the job post says.
With 134 licensed beds as of the second quarter, Heywood Hospital is the sixth-largest hospital in Central Massachusetts, and Athol Hospital is the 15th largest with 21 licensed beds, according to data collected by WBJ’s Research Department.
Mica Kanner-Mascolo is a staff writer at Worcester Business Journal, who primarily covers the healthcare, manufacturing, and higher education industries.
