Roark leaving Baptist Clay

BY DAN HILDEBRAN

ClayCivic.com Publisher

Baptist Clay President Darin Roark, who has led the Baptist Clay medical campus in Fleming Island for 10 years and oversaw the opening of Baptist’s 300,000-square-foot hospital on Village Square Parkway last December, has accepted a position in New England.

Mass General Brigham has named Roark the newest president and chief operating officer of Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover, New Hampshire, effective July 24.

The Mass General Brigham system was created in 1994 with the merger of Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The two Boston-based healthcare centers serve as teaching hospitals for Harvard Medical School and are recognized as global leaders in healthcare.

Wentworth-Douglass joined the Mass General Brigham system in 2017. It has served the southern New Hampshire and southern Maine areas since 1906.

The non-profit’s staff includes 400 providers, more than 500 nurses, 3,500 employees, and 200 volunteers.

“I am deeply honored and excited to join an organization with such a strong reputation for providing outstanding healthcare services — and I am committed to building on that legacy,” said Roark in a news release. “I look forward to working closely with the talented team at Wentworth-Douglass as they continue to deliver high-quality care, improve patient outcomes, and strengthen our bonds with the Seacoast community.”

Roark joined Baptist Health in 2012 as an assistant administrator overseeing all emergency centers in the health system.

Before leading Baptist Clay, he was vice president of Baptist’s oncology services. He also worked as director of emergency services at Orange Park Medical Center and held leadership and nursing positions in Illinois and Wisconsin.

“Darin brings exceptional leadership skills and a deep understanding of the healthcare landscape. His strategic mindset and unwavering dedication to patient-centered care make him the perfect candidate to lead Wentworth-Douglass Hospital into the future,” said John Salmon, chairman of Wentworth-Douglass’ board of trustees. “We are thrilled to welcome Darin and his family to the Seacoast.”