UF Health Jacksonville CEO dies unexpectedly, hospital says

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Dr. Leon Haley, CEO of UF Health Jacksonville, died on Saturday, the hospital said in a press release.

“It is with great sadness that we confirm the passing of UF Health Jacksonville CEO Leon L. Haley Jr. Dr. Haley was a strong and inspiring leader and a beloved son, father, friend and colleague. We ask you to keep his family in your prayers this evening and in the days to come, ”the statement read. “We do not have specific details of his death at this time. We ask that you respect the privacy of Dr. Haley’s family, friends and colleagues at UF Health.

Haley has been one of the faces of the fight against COVID-19 for local hospitals.

In mid-December, he became the first person in Jacksonville to receive the Pfizer vaccine when it became available, setting an example for his staff and the rest of the city.

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“It’s a moment of humility,” Haley said at the time. “This is just the start of a long battle.”

More than seven months later, after what appeared to be a lull, that battle began again as the delta variant took hold and hospitals again began to be filled with coronavirus patients – many of whom did not. were not vaccinated.

Haley said COVID-19 patient visits have increased 1,000% since mid-June, and he expressed concern to News4Jax that vaccination rates among hospital staff are 50% or less.

Dr Chad Neilsen, director of accreditation and infection prevention at UF Health Jacksonville, said his colleague will be sorely missed, especially now.

Haley, who served as dean of UF College of Medicine – Jacksonville, became UF Health Jacksonville’s first black CEO in January 2018. He also served as vice president of health affairs at the University of Florida.

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According to a Florida Times-Union report, Haley was originally from Pittsburgh and received her BA from Brown University and her medical degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He was Executive Associate Dean of the Emory School of Medicine and Associate Executive Vice President of Medical Affairs at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta before coming to Jacksonville.

The news began to spread online on Saturday with many local leaders, including Edward Waters University President A. Zachary Faison, issuing cryptic messages of shock and dismay before the news officially broke.