University of Alabama at Birmingham Health System has named experienced health care executive Janet Hadar as its next chief operating officer, effective Jan. 12, 2026.
Hadar joins UAB Health System with more than 20 years of health care experience leading clinical operations, ambulatory campuses, service lines, system integration and community engagement projects.
Most recently, Hadar served as the president and CEO of University of North Carolina Hospitals, where she has led a regional portfolio of academic and community hospitals.
Hadar held key leadership roles across the UNC Health enterprise, including senior vice president of Operations for the medical center and system hospitals and vice chair for Clinical Integration for the UNC Department of Medicine.
Under Hadar’s leadership, UNC Hospitals achieved improved rankings, including a CMS 5-star rating; expanded mental and behavioral health access by developing a new 54-bed Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health hospital; and partnering with physician leaders to enhance behavioral health services to communities across the state.
Hadar managed a portfolio of $1 billion in capital infrastructure investments to enhance and build new medical facilities, including a new surgical hospital.
“UAB’s mission to serve people and make a positive difference in as many lives as possible as a leader in health care and in the community fits perfectly with my experience and passions,” Hadar said. “I am humbled and excited about this opportunity and look forward to building meaningful relationships with physicians, staff, patients and partners across the UAB Medicine enterprise.”
As COO of UAB Health System, Hadar will help shape the strategy for and oversee the operations of UAB Hospital and Ambulatory Services, UAB St. Vincent’s, UAB Medical West and related support services and provide valuable operational guidance to the UAB Health System-managed hospitals across the state.
“Janet’s proven leadership excellence and depth of expertise will enhance our ability to serve patients, employees and communities across the state as we continue to deliver on our mission of providing life-changing care,” said UAB Health System CEO Dawn Bulgarella.
“Her wealth of experience as a leader in a large, complex health system that has effectively combined the value of an academic medical center and community hospitals in serving the health care needs of the community will be invaluable — particularly given the recent addition of UAB St. Vincent’s.”
The UAB Health System is the largest health system in Alabama and continues to expand its reach and impact across the state, now operating as a nearly $7.5 billion enterprise with 133 locations serving all 67 counties in Alabama and beyond.
In November 2024, UAB Health System acquired St. Vincent’s Health System, increasing its total bed count to 3,173. The system now includes UAB Hospital, UAB St. Vincent’s, UAB Medical West, Baptist Health in Montgomery, UAB Callahan Eye, and all associated sites of care of the owned and affiliated entities.
With a workforce of more than 30,000 physicians, health care professionals and staff, UAB Health System provides care to some of Alabama’s most critically ill patients and serves almost 1.4 million unique patients.
UAB promotes sustainable rural health care throughout the state by supporting associate hospitals of the UAB Health System, like Regional Medical Center of Central Alabama, Russell Medical Center, Whitfield Regional Hospital and John Paul Jones Hospital.
Courtesy of University of Alabama Birmingham
