BESSEMER, Ala. - Tom R. McDougal Jr. has been named chief executive officer of Medical West Hospital, an affiliate of the UAB Health System.

McDougal, who has been serving as the CEO of Springs Memorial Hospital in Lancaster, S.C. since January 2008, will assume his new position Jan. 5, 2010. He will take over for Don Lilly, who has been serving as interim CEO since June 1.

Prior to his current role, McDougal served as the CEO of Parkway Medical Center in Decatur and CEO of LV Stabler Memorial Hospital in Greenville. He also held positions in the Baptist Health System of South Carolina.

"We are excited to have someone of Tom's caliber fill the permanent role of CEO of Medical West," said UAB Health System CEO Will Ferniany. "He brings an experienced background of skills and accomplishments that will be key to continuing to move Medical West forward in the future."

McDougal received his undergraduate degree in business administration from Samford University and his master's degrees in business and hospital administration from UAB. McDougal is also a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has been active in many civic and legislative committees both in Alabama and South Carolina. A native of Birmingham, McDougal and his wife Wendy are the parents of two children, Mary Ann, 13, and Madden, 9.

About the UAB Health System

The UAB Health System includes all of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's patient care activities, including UAB Hospital, the Callahan Eye Foundation Hospital, UAB Highlands, the Kirklin Clinic, UAB Health Centers, VIVA Health insurance company, and affiliates Medical West and Baptist Health Montgomery. UAB is the state of Alabama's largest employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic health center; find more information at www.uab.edu and www.uabmedicine.org.