Gar Atchison

MARQUETTE — UP Health System announced today that Gar Atchison has been named chief executive officer of UP Health System-Marquette and market CEO of UP Health System, according to a company press release. Atchison replaces Jerry Dooley, who has been serving as interim CEO for UPHS-Marquette since June following the departure of Brian Sinotte, who had held the position since August 2016.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gar to the Upper Peninsula,” said Jamie Carter, president of LifePoint Health’s Eastern Division, of which UP Health System is a part, in a news release. “Gar is a seasoned leader who is deeply committed to our mission of Making Communities Healthier. I am confident that his passion for quality care, his operational expertise and his strong track record for organizational growth will be a tremendous benefit to UPHS-Marquette and UP Health System as a whole. We look forward to the many ways his leadership will help our Michigan hospitals further improve the health and well-being of their communities in the years to come.”

A veteran health care executive with more than 30 years of experience, Atchison joins UPHS-Marquette from Frye Regional Medical Center, another Duke LifePoint facility in Hickory, North Carolina. During his tenure there, he served in several leadership positions, including as chief operating officer, vice president of business development and market operations director for the hospital’s physician network, before assuming the role of CEO in 2016.

Prior to his time at FRMC, Atchison served as CEO of Hickory Orthopaedic Center, PA, a multi-location orthopedic practice in Hickory, North Carolina. Before that, he was a practice administrator for Bay Street Orthopaedics in Petoskey and financial operations manager for Northern Michigan Hospital, also in Petoskey.

“We are pleased that a veteran leader from the Duke LifePoint network and a former Michigan native will be taking the helm here in Marquette,” said UPHS-Marquette Board Chairman John Bartlett, MD. “His reputation as a strong health care executive, avid community supporter and mission-minded leader who is sharply focused on quality care makes him the ideal person to take our hospital into the future.”

Atchison earned a bachelor’s of science degree in financial management from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, North Dakota, and a master’s of business administration degree from Lake Superior State University in Sault Ste. Marie. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Certified Patient Safety Officer through the Duke Patient Safety Center.

“I am excited to join the UPHS family and be part of its legacy of providing high-quality care and service for the Upper Peninsula,” said Atchison. “I look forward to working alongside the dedicated teams at UPHS-Marquette, UPHS-Portage and UPHS-Bell to ensure that those we serve continue to have access to the highest quality health care services close to home as we advance our mission of Making Communities Healthier.”