PAH Welcomes a familiar face as new President

The halls of PAH will certainly feel the absence of fellow cherished colleagues and leaders. On behalf of everyone at PAH, we extend our heartfelt wishes to Jack Sisk and Ben Hughes for a joyful retirement, along with our sincere gratitude for their many years of dedicated service.
Reminiscing about his time at PAH and as President, Jack Sisk stated, “I’m probably most proud of the fact that we are still here and have expanded services over the years as I’ve seen many in our region shrink. We consistently get recognized nationally as a top hospital and consistently had a positive bottom line and have tried to maintain currency with clinical and diagnostic equipment. I’m proud that we have taken the steps to modernize with the new ED, radiology, women’s imaging and laboratory.”
The position of President is not an easy seat to fill. With past leaders like Mr. Daniel Blough and Jack, PAH has been afforded the opportunity to have a culture of care, compassion, and family amongst its workforce. Undoubtedly, the new leadership at PAH will continue advancing the organization in these ways with Dr. Simpson and the members of the Senior Team.
Regarding his transition to the role of President, Dr. Clark Simpson expressed, “I am absolutely humbled to be chosen for this position.” A valued member of the PAH team since 2002, Dr. Simpson has held several significant leadership roles, including Director of the Emergency Department, oversight of the Hospitalist Program, and Director of Medical Affairs. Since 2023, he has also served as Chief Medical Officer—a position he will maintain alongside his new responsibilities as President.
Dr. Simpson has extensive medical educational experience which includes Harvard University with a Post-Baccalaureate Premedical Diploma, The University of Massachusetts Medical School, and the Latrobe Family Practice Residency Program through Thomas Jefferson University. Also holding a Bachelor's degree in Accounting from Pennsylvania State University, Dr. Simpson, has strong mathematical and analytical abilities, attention to detail, and organizational skills. With teaching experience as clinical faculty in the Family Medicine Program at Penn State University, Clinical Assistant Professor of Family Medicine at Duquesne University, Clinical Instructor of Family Medicine at LECOM, and Clinical Assistant Professor at PCOM, Dr. Simpson is no stranger to strong communication skills, adaptability, and collaboration.
Dr. Simpson envisions PAH as a provider of exceptional care to our community, a major employer, and a successful economic driver for Punxsutawney and Jefferson County.
The dual role of President and Chief Medical Officer is distinctive, allowing Dr. Simpson to leverage his medical expertise to identify and address the health needs of the community. This position will empower him to promote those needs and develop effective solutions to make an impact on our community health.
Dr. Simpson stated, “Our medical staff and workforce recognize that we are here for the patients and the community-- our team at PAH is simply the best. I am overjoyed to lead an organization where patients are the reason for the day and never an interruption”.
As we navigate this leadership transition, the Senior Team would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to every employee at PAH for your hard work and commitment.