(KAIR)--The Chief Executive Officer of Amberwell Hiawatha is retiring, and the CEO of Amberwell Atchison will serve in both his current role, and in the soon-to-be vacated seat at the Hiawatha hospital location.

According to a release from Amberwell Health, Amberwell Hiawatha CEO John Broberg “has set his retirement date to be effective August 31,” noting that “upon Broberg’s retirement, the Chief Executive Officer of Amberwell Atchison, Jeff Perry, will assume the CEO role at Amberwell Atchison and Amberwell Hiawatha.”

Broberg, the release says, has over 49-years in the healthcare field, and “has served as the senior leader for 29-years and as Chief Executive Officer at four different hospitals.”

First joining the formerly-named Hiawatha Community Hospital as interim CEO in 2016, Broberg “returned to accept a full-time role in 2019.”

The release calls Broberg’s commitment to Hiawatha “tremendous,” adding that he “leaves a truly impactful mark on northeast Kansas health,” and played “a key role in creating the affiliation with Amberwell Health” that the release calls “ground-breaking for rural health.”

Perry, according to the release, “brings 29-years of healthcare experience to Amberwell Hiawatha, of which 23-years have been in management roles.”

Serving 8-years as a combat medic and nurse, Perry holds a doctorate in Health Administration and is a Fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives.

Perry, an Atchison resident since 2019, says, in the release, that he looks “forward to working to strengthen healthcare in Atchison, Hiawatha, and surrounding communities throughout northeast Kansas.”

According to the release, “over the four months since the affiliation of Amberwell Hiawatha and Amberwell Health was announced, both organizations have begun aligning processes and sharing resources to grow and improve access to care for northeast Kansas communities.”

Saying Amberwell “is committed to continue the impact that [Broberg] has made by ensuring growth of the healthcare model that includes facility improvements and growth in services,” the release announces that Dr. Brian Duncan “will be joining Amberwell Health on September 15 and will provide orthopedic surgery and clinic services in both Hiawatha and Atchison.

Additionally, the release notes that “Amberwell Hiawatha will welcome a new Chief Nursing Officer,” with Nichole Chamley named to that position.

The release also notes that facility improvements are planned for Amberwell Hiawatha’s surgical department.