Urbanowicz

Tenet Healthcare recently appointed E. Peter Urbanowicz general counsel, ending a controversial 2003 in which the hospital chain's CEO, CFO, COO and former general counsel all resigned amid federal probes into Medicare billing and physician recruitment practices.

Urbanowicz replaces Christi Sulzbach, who stepped down in September over her role in the alleged corporate misconduct. Since 2001, Urbanowicz has served as the deputy general counsel of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he was involved in health care litigation and support of the Medicare and Medicaid programs.

As Tenet's GC, Urbanowicz will be responsible for leading all of the company's legal activities at the corporate, regional and hospital levels.

The move is one of a number that Tenet has made recently to repair its image and strengthen internal controls. In August, the company appointed its first chief compliance officer and simultaneously hired D. McCarty "Mac" Thornton — formerly the chief counsel to the Office of Inspector General of HHS — as special adviser to the company's compliance department.