CLEVELAND — 3News has confirmed MetroHealth CEO Airica Steed will be taking a leave of absence from her role leading the hospital system.
Sources say a memo was sent out to staff members indicating Steed would be stepping away from her duties. Derrick Hollings, Metro's executive vice president and chief financial officer, will take over her responsibilities on an acting basis.
WKYC has since confirmed Steed has taken medical leave and "is confident that she will return to work in short order." Our media partner Signal Cleveland was the first to report the story and obtained an email sent to employees by Hollings, which read:
"I wanted to let you know that Dr. Airica Steed, Metrohealth's CEO & President, is taking a short leave. In her absence, she has designated me to handle her day-to-day responsibilities.
"Please know that I share Dr. Steed's admiration for the mission critical work you do every day to serve our patients, this organization and the Greater Cleveland community. This temporary situation will not affect our mission or that important work in any way.
"I ask you to join me and the entire leadership team in wishing Dr. Steed all the best as we await her return."
MetroHealth's Board of Trustees hired Steed as the system's next CEO in September of 2022, with the plan being for her to replace the retiring Dr. Akram Boutros that succeeding January. That timeline was abruptly moved up in November when Boutros was fired for allegedly giving himself nearly $2 million worth of undisclosed and improper bonuses.
Since officially taking over, Steed has echoed MetroHealth previously stated mission to end health care disparities in Greater Cleveland, and late last year helped spearhead the creation of Cuyahoga County's Women's Health Commission. In a recent op-ed for Cleveland.com, she also defended her decision not to go ahead with the planned demolition of the Outpatient Pavilion on main campus that would've created more green space.
"There’s no denying the West 25th Street side of the building is a reminder that public institutions too often wall themselves off from those they purport to serve," she wrote. "But we are confident we can make even that friendlier. And we know that the care and services inside will be very welcoming -- because that’s MetroHealth's specialty."
Steed has not publicly commented on her leave of absence. On Wednesday, the Board of Trustees clarified that Steed is "expected to return by mid-August" and that members would hold a special meeting this Friday "to ensure the needs of the System are met during Dr. Steed's medical leave."
"We wish her and her family well and look forward to her return," Board Chair Dr. E. Harry Walker added.