Kevin Vermeer, President and Chief Executive Officer of UnityPoint Health, stepped down Monday.

Susan K. Thompson, UnityPoint’s Senior Vice President of Integration and Optimization, will take over the role on an interim basis.

Vermeer assumed the role of President and CEO in January 2016. He’s been in leadership roles with the organization since 2000.

“We greatly appreciate Kevin’s leadership and service over the past 20+ years,” said Randy Easton, chairman of the UnityPoint Health Board of Directors. “Continued strong, innovative leadership is critical now more than ever before and we are fortunate to have Sue Thompson taking the helm during this time of transition. She is well-prepared to effectively and compassionately steer our system through this time. With deep knowledge of our local communities and as a leader in protecting rural healthcare, she will serve our patients, physicians and staff well as we move forward.”

Vermeer was previously chief financial officer, interim CEO of Unity HealthCare in Muscatine and chief financial officer for two UnityPoint Health hospitals: Trinity Regional Health System in Rock Island (2003-2009) and Allen Memorial Hospital in Waterloo (2000-2003).

Thompson currently partners with Chief Operating Officers and other members of the senior leadership groups to evaluate, identify and deploy initiatives that support hospitals’ abilities to achieve improving care, improving the health of populations and lowering costs. She previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of UnityPoint Health in Fort Dodge.