Dale Mackel has been appointed the new chief financial officer and treasurer of the hospice and home health mammoth LHC Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: LHCG). Mackel replaces Robert Williams, who stepped into the role in June when former CFO Joshua Proffitt became LHC Group’s president.
According to a regulatory report, LHC Group announced that Williams withdrew his acceptance of the CFO position on July 10 due to “recent and unforeseeable change in his personal circumstances unrelated to his professional qualifications and experience.” Proffitt has since acted as CFO while also serving as the company’s president before Mackel’s appointment.
“We conducted a very thorough national search of highly qualified financial candidates, including several candidates with extensive managed care and value-based care delivery experience to complement our leadership team and grow our partnerships with managed care payors,” said Proffitt in a statement this week. “[His] particular skills in the areas of accounting and finance, network development, provider contracting/relations, and compliance, as well as his demonstrated ability to drive business segment financial and operating results at some of the more respected managed care providers in the country will be a real asset for LHC Group.”
Prior to joining LHC Group, Mackel was executive vice president of finance and administration and CFO for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska. He previously oversaw strategic, operational and financial aspects as the market president for Aetna’s Iowa, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota regions.
Mackel’s core values and experience made him “an ideal fit” for LHC Group’s accelerated growth in the value-based care payment arena, according to chairman and CEO Keith Myers.
“Mackel’s core values align with the mission and vision of LHC Group, which, combined with his experience, made him the ideal fit to help us accelerate our work in payment innovation and models to thrive in the rapidly developing future of value-based care,” said Myers. “The LHC Group team of leaders is one of the deeper and more experienced in all of health care with an established track record of care for the patients, families, and communities we are privileged to serve throughout the country.”
LHC Group has indicated that it plans to further grow “a strong bench of seasoned executives” and teams in the areas of operations, growth, finance, administration, legal, and compliance, as well as in the assessment, completion, and integration of acquisitions and joint ventures.”
The company has remained bullish on expansion in both its hospice and home health segments, with Proffitt recently telling Hospice News that hospice growth was a “top strategic focus” for the company.
LHC Group’s expanding home health and hospice footprints were draws for Mackel’s interest in an executive position.
“LHC Group is on the forefront of value-based care with a long history of working closely with payors and joint venture partners,” said Mackel. “Their national reputation for the highest quality and patient satisfaction within the in-home health care industry, as well as their significant near-term and long-term growth potential, made this a very attractive opportunity for me and my family.”
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