A little over three years after Lani Dickinson was named Emanuel Medical Center’s Chief Executive Office, the nurse turned hospital administrator turned in her resignation.

Dickinson became the Turlock hospital’s CEO in 2018, following the departure of Sue Micheletti.

“Lani Dickinson has left the company to pursue other opportunities,” said Tenet spokesperson Krista Deans. “Warren Kirk, CEO of Doctors Medical Center and Tenet’s Northern California Group, is serving as interim CEO until we appoint a permanent replacement. We thank Lani for her many contributions and service to Emanuel Medical Center.”

Dickinson hit the ground running when she came to EMC, making significant changes to the way patients receive care — especially in the hospital’s emergency department.

Dickinson focused on the emergency department because 70 percent of the patients served by Emanuel each year originally come to the hospital through the ER. The changes she implemented aimed to smooth the process from being a patient in the ER to one who is admitted to the hospital.

Along with new procedures in the ER, Dickinson also made changes at the bedside, having the nurses give their shift reports in front of the patient.

Under her tenure, Emanuel earned “High Performing” ratings for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, Heart Failure and Kidney Failure as part of the 2021-22 U.S. News & World Report’s Procedures & Conditions ratings; created the COVID-19 task force; and established an OB Hospitalist program expectant mothers and newborns.

Dickinson started her healthcare career as a unit clerk at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto and left as chief nurse and then decided to “bridge the gap” between what happens on the floor and the administrators making policy by going back to school to get a master’s degree in business administration.

Prior to Emanuel, Dickinson served as the chief nursing executive of Tenet Healthcare’s former Western Region from 2015-2017. Prior to the regional leadership role, she served as the chief operating officer at Lakewood Regional Medical Center and spent many years at Doctors Medical Center in Modesto serving in various leadership positions including chief nursing officer, director of clinical quality improvement, director of patient care services and in several nursing roles.