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William Fulkerson Jr., M.D., to Head Duke University Hospital

William Fulkerson Jr., M.D., to Head Duke University Hospital
William Fulkerson Jr., M.D., to Head Duke University Hospital

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DURHAM, N.C. - William J. Fulkerson Jr., M.D., chief medical
officer for Duke University Hospital and the Private Diagnostic
Clinic, was named chief executive officer (CEO) of Duke
Hospital Thursday, succeeding Michael D. Israel, who resigned
to take the chief operating officer (COO) position of the
18-hospital North
Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
in New York.

Fulkerson's appointment was announced by Ralph Snyderman,
M.D., president and CEO of the Duke University Health
System.

"Dr. Fulkerson is a highly respected and dedicated member of
a strong management team that has led Duke Hospital into the
21st century. His experience as one of the nation's leading
pulmonary specialists and as a leader of Duke Hospital will
help ensure a smooth transition from Mike Israel's strong
leadership over the past nine years," Snyderman said. "We are
fortunate to have Bill assume this critical role at this time
of important transitions in health care, and we are grateful to
Mike for the superb job he has done for Duke Hospital and for
our health system. We
congratulate him and wish him well in his exciting new
position."

Fulkerson, 50, who is also a professor of medicine at Duke
University Medical Center and a nationally renowned specialist
in pulmonary and critical care medicine, assumed the position
of chief medical officer (CMO) of Duke Hospital in April 2000.
Prior to that, he served as executive
medical director of Duke's Private Diagnostic Clinic, PLLC and
continued those duties while serving as CMO of Duke
Hospital.

"I am honored to be offered this position and to have the
opportunity to lead one of the finest teaching hospitals in the
nation," Fulkerson said. "Like most other hospitals in this
country, and especially academic medical centers, we face
enormous challenges going forward as the costs of
caring for our patients rise rapidly and reimbursement falls.
Fortunately, at Duke we have the best doctors, nurses and staff
in the world, outstanding people who work here every day to
support our missions, and a strong hospital management team.
Together, I am confident we will continue and indeed enhance
our success in delivering the very best medical care
possible."

Israel is leaving Duke to become COO for North Shore-LIJ,
the nation's third-largest non-profit health system, with 5,700
beds and 32,000 employees.

"As you can imagine, it is with mixed feelings that I leave
Duke, but knowing that we have in place an outstanding and
experienced management team made the decision easier. I would
like to express my appreciation to the whole Duke family,"
Israel said.

Along with the other CEOs of Duke University Health System
hospitals, Fulkerson will report to William J. Donelan,
executive vice president and chief operating officer of the
health system.

"Bill Fulkerson's professional experience and broad
responsibility over the last several years have prepared him
well for the important role of CEO of Duke Hospital," said
Donelan. "He will absorb his current responsibility as chief
medical officer of Duke Hospital into his new role as CEO while
vacating his role as executive medical director of the Private
Diagnostic Clinic."

Fulkerson, who was born in Charlotte, N.C., received his
undergraduate and medical degrees from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. He completed his internship and
residency at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. His career
at Duke University Medical Center started in 1983 as an
assistant professor of medicine in the department of medicine.
He subsequently served as vice chair of the department of
medicine and chief of its pulmonary and critical care medicine
area.

His research interests include adult respiratory distress
syndrome, sepsis and outcomes of critical illness. He has
published numerous journal articles and textbook chapters. He
received the Eugene A. Stead Jr. Award for Excellence in
Teaching from Duke's department of medicine in 1985 and
1996.

Fulkerson is a member of the American College of Physicians
and the American Thoracic Society, and a fellow of the American
College of Chest Physicians and the Society of Critical Care
Medicine.

Duke University Health System is a non-profit, fully
integrated academic health care system dedicated to providing
patient care, professional education and biomedical research.
The Duke University Health System includes: Duke University
Hospital; Durham Regional Hospital; Raleigh Community Hospital;
ambulatory surgery centers; primary and specialty care clinics;
home care, hospice, skilled nursing care; wellness centers and
community-based clinical partnerships, and is integrated with
the Duke University School of Medicine and the Duke University
School of Nursing.

----------

The following letter from Mike Israel was distributed today
to Duke University Health System employees:

April 18, 2002

TO: DUH Management Team
DUHS/DUMC Management Team

FROM: Mike Israel

I am writing to inform you of my decision to accept a
position with the North
Shore-Long Island Jewish Health System
, one of the nation's
largest health systems.

This was not an easy decision. I have truly enjoyed these
past nine years and am proud of all we have been able to
accomplish together at Duke Hospital as well as for our health
system. For some time, it has been apparent to me that there
will probably never be a perfect time for me to take the next
step in my professional development. When North Shore asked me
to join their leadership team, I felt I could not resist the
opportunity to become part of the leadership group for the
nation's third largest health system.

For those of you unfamiliar with North Shore Long Island
Jewish, it is a system comprised of 18 hospitals, over 5,700
beds, and 32,000 employees. In the recent AARP ranking of
hospitals, North Shore University Hospital, located on Long
Island less than 30 miles from Manhattan, was ranked the top
hospital in any of the nation's largest metropolitan areas.
While I will not have day to day responsibility for any one
hospital, as Chief Operating Officer for the health system,
CEOs of 18 hospitals in the system will report to me.

As you can imagine, it is with mixed feelings that I leave
Duke, but knowing that our outstanding and experienced
management team will help ensure a smooth transition made the
decision easier. I hope to see many of you during the coming
weeks to express my very deep and profound appreciation for all
you have done to contribute to our success. Duke University
Health System is stronger as a result of everyone's collective
efforts, and the patients we serve are the ultimate
beneficiaries. I will miss working with you but know I will be
leaving behind a superb team of health care providers who will
continue the traditions that have made this one of the nation's
leading centers for patient care, research and teaching.

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