BEMIDJI — Sanford Health-Bemidji President and CEO Karla Eischens will retire at the end of the year after more than two decades of service.
Eischens has been the president and CEO since 2022, according to a Wednesday, July 23, news release. Her leadership is credited with Sanford Bemidji expanding efforts with heart and vascular care, improving access to behavioral health with the region’s first crisis center, and navigating through the COVID-19 pandemic.
As the director of pharmacy earlier in her career, Eischens helped establish the home infusion pharmacy in the Joe Lueken Cancer Center Pharmacy, opened the Sandford Blackduck Pharmacy and expanded the regional 340B drug pricing program.
Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jason Caron will assume the role after Eischens. Caron will gradually reduce his patient load during the transition, but he will continue to see patients after assuming the new role, the release stated.
Caron has had several leadership positions in his career, including orthopedic department chair, surgery service line chair and chair of the Sandford Health of Northern Minnesota Board of Directors. He was also named Sanford Health's 2023 Clinician Leader of the Year, which is awarded to a health care provider who shows outstanding clinical skill, leadership, mentorship and integrity, according to the release.
Caron and Eischens plan to work together over the coming months to make the transition as smooth as possible.
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