Vanderhoff named director of Ohio Department of Health

Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff has been appointed director of the Ohio Department of Health. Gov. Mike DeWine announced the appointment Wednesday in a press release. Vanderhoff has served as ODH's chief medical officer since November. At that time, he had been serving for more than a decade as a senior vice president and as chief medical officer at OhioHealth. Stephanie McCloud, who has been serving as director of ODH, is returning to lead the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation as its administrator, DeWine announced. "Working together as a team, Stephanie McCloud and Bruce Vanderhoff guided the Ohio Department of Health over the past nine months," DeWine said in the press release. "I am pleased that Dr. Vanderhoff has agreed to serve as Director of the Ohio Department of Health. His medical and organizational expertise will help the department as we move forward and continue to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. I would also like to thank Stephanie McCloud for her leadership of the Ohio Department of Health and look forward to her return to lead the Bureau of Workers' Compensation." Vanderhoff's appointment will again put a physician in charge of the state's health department. When nominating Dr. Amy Acton as ODH director in February 2019, DeWine told the Columbus Dispatch that, in having a physician with preventative medicine experience in the role, "We have to rethink how we approach this department." Acton resigned from the position in June 2020. In September, DeWine appointed another physician, Dr. Joan Duwve, but she backed out of accepting the position soon after, citing personal reasons, including harassment Acton had faced. The changes are effective on Monday. Both Vanderhoff's and McCloud's positions require confirmation by the Ohio Senate. Arthurs: 419-427-8494