Former Tenet Healthcare CEO Ron Rittenmeyer died Tuesday at the age of 75.
Rittenmeyer lead the Dallas-based health system from 2017 until he stepped down as chief executive in 2021.
He helped usher in a new era for the legacy hospital chain, pushing the company further into ambulatory surgery center space.
As more care moves to more convenient and lower-cost settings for patients, Tenet has continued to invest heavily in its ambulatory care segment.
In 2020, Tenet inked a $1.1 billion deal to expand its already sizable surgery center footprint through USPI.
Although Tenet has been known as a hospital operator first, it’s ambulatory surgery center footprint is now more than six times larger than its hospital portfolio.
At the time Rittenmeyer stepped down as CEO, former Sen. Bob Kerrey and lead director of the board said the company today is a different organization with a better business mix.
“When Ron became CEO, he dug very deep to transform and drive the Company toward a healthier future,” Kerrey said.
Rittenmeyer’s resume includes stints outside of healthcare. He spent 20 years at PepsiCo’s Frito-Lay division, according to his obituary.
Rittenmeyer served on numerous boards throughout his life, including at IQVIA Holdings, Inc. and Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.
“His distinguished career highlighted his exemplary track record of successful transformations and was recognized as the ‘turnaround CEO,’” his obituary states.
