Patrick Downes is the new president of St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview, Florida. The appointment was effective July 17 and announced by Kimberly Guy, BayCare co-chief operating officer.
Downes has held executive leadership positions in Tenet Healthcare Corporation hospitals for the past 13 years. Most recently, Downes served since 2017 as chief executive officer at East Cooper Medical Center in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.
Downes’ move to St. Joseph’s Hospital-South in Riverview is a Florida homecoming. Prior to leading the South Carolina hospital, he had executive leadership positions at two Miami-area hospitals. He was CEO at Coral Gables Hospital (2015-17) and chief operating officer at Hialeah Hospital (2010-15).
In all three of his executive leadership positions, his responsibilities included hospital operations, strategic planning and medical and hospital-related services. His hospitals consistently received outstanding patient-satisfaction scores in patient surveys. He is also noted for his work in physician and employee satisfaction and for low employee turnover.
He holds both a Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Bachelor of Science in business administration from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Downes is a native of Palm Harbor in Tampa Bay’s Pinellas County.
“We welcome Patrick back to his home state,” said Guy. “His experience with the Florida health care landscape is a tremendous advantage. His expertise, passion and drive for excellence will position him as a strong leader at St. Joseph’s Hospital-South, a hospital that continues to thrive in serving the high-growth areas of Hillsborough County’s SouthShore and Northern Manatee County. Patrick’s background will help to build upon the hospital’s prominence and importance in these communities.”
Earlier in his career, he worked in administration with Tenet Florida Physician Services and Miami’s North Shore Medical Center and in the Florida government. He was an analyst/administrative assistant with the Florida House of Representatives and special assistant to the governor and chief of staff in the administration of former Florida Governor Jeb Bush.
Although recently living in South Carolina, Downes is a current member of the Foundation for Florida’s Future/Foundation for Excellence in Education, a not-for-profit public policy organization dedicated to keeping the promise of a quality education in Florida.
Downes succeeds Phil Minden. Minden, St. Joseph’s Hospital-South’s president since 2019, was simultaneously president of St. Joseph’s Hospital — the flagship of the St. Joseph’s Hospitals — until Downes’ appointment.
