Phil Dotson walks the halls of Athens-Limestone Hospital these days with a medical problem — how to survive leaving a piece of his heart behind when he retires next week.

Dotson, who has been chief executive officer of the hospital for 20 years today, knows his life will be less stressful, but he says he will miss the people who are responsible for the operation of the community hospital.

“We’ve got great employees here,” Dotson said. “They’re a great group of folks, the best group I’ve ever been associated with.”

Dotson moved up his plan to retire in July of 2007 by presenting a letter of retirement at a Nov. 27 meeting of the hospital’s Board of Directors. That letter, which was accepted by the board, gives Jan. 1 as his retirement date

Dotson said he had left open the option of moving the retirement to Jan. 1.

“This job carries a little bit of stress with it,” he said. “You feel a responsibility to the organization, to the employees, to their betterment and making a good working environment, to the patients and their families so they have quality service.”

While Dotson also had a series of health problems this year, including chronic leukemia, he said his health is good and did not affect his decision to retire.

“I feel better than I have in years,” he said.

Cary Payne, currently chief operating officer, will become acting CEO Jan. 1. Dotson recommended Payne be officially named CEO. Board members must follow state policy to advertise the position and its requirements before taking action on the recommendation. That process began in November, Dotson said.

The past two years were particularly challenging because Dotson and other community leaders led the fight to stop a hospital from being built in Madison, which hospital officials say could have a crippling impact on Athens-Limestone Hospital.

“We’ve faced a lot of tough issues in the last couple of years,” Dotson said. “There’s a great need, I think, for continuity, for someone with (Payne’s) talent and ability. I expect he’ll do a far better job than I do.”

Payne said he is sad to see Dotson leave.

“I personally would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Mr. Dotson for the opportunity to work with such an outstanding leader, mentor and, most of all, friend,” Payne said. “Through his leadership, he has transformed Athens-Limestone Hospital into one of the finest community hospitals you will find anywhere.”

Dotson, who has a master’s degree in healthcare administration from Baylor University, passed several milestones while at the hospital, which followed a long military career. During his 20 years, he increased staff physicians from 19 to 60, as well as planned and supervised four major construction projects, including replacement of the in-patient beds, a state-of –the-art Wellness Center, a 25-acre medical village and a comprehensive diagnostic center.

In 2000, he was presented the Alabama Hospital Association’s Community Service Award. He has also been named the Business Person of the Year by the Greater Limestone County Chamber of Commerce. Dotson has served as chairman of the state hospital association and is a current member of a task force on delivery system fragmentation, and is a member of Healthcare Financial Management Association and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives. He has also served as a Chamber of Commerce board member and is on the board of directors of the Athens-Limestone Development Association.

Before coming to Athens, Dotson was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps of the US Army and entered active duty at Fort Sam Houston, Texas.

“For the next 22 years, I had numerous assignments, mostly in the South: South Korea, South Vietnam, South Carolina, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas and Kentucky,” he joked. “My one assignment in the North was in North Carolina.”

He performed a variety of duties before retiring in 1985, including platoon leader, company commander, administrative assistant, adjutant, battalion executive officer, and assistant administrative for clinical services at a large Army medical center. He also received 11 decorations and badges, including the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm, the Army Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

“Military service gave me an opportunity to grow professionally through a variety of job assignments,” Dotson said. “Military service was an opportunity like no other; the opportunity to travel, to live in a variety of locations, and the opportunity to make lifelong friends. The bonds between military families, while established over a short time, endure for a lifetime.”

Dotson moved from place to place during his military duty before choosing Athens as a potential retirement residence.

“The 20 years that I have lived in Athens is the longest period that I have ever lived anywhere,” he said. “It has given me a feeling of permanence and I now consider Athens home. Outside of family and the hospital, my Sunday School class is a central focus of what guides and gives me a sense of strength and commitment.”

Hospital employees and board members plan to honor Dotson for his years of service. An employee tea will be held at the hospital and a program will be held at the board’s annual dinner meeting on Jan. 23.

“The program that night will be in recognition of Mr. Dotson and the service he has provided, not only to our hospital but to our community as well,” said Gina Hanserd, director of community relations at the hospital. “I’ve worked for Mr. Dotson for 15 years and he is one of the most hardworking, honest and fair leaders that I have ever been associated with. He possesses a wealth of healthcare related knowledge and utilized this knowledge in day-to-day decision making for our hospital. One of his major strong points was that he allowed autonomy by his managers to make decisions based upon their areas of responsibility. I am honored to have served under Philip Dotson as CEO of ALH.”

Dotson’s initial idea of retirement was to relax and spend time with family, he said.

He has been married to his wife Betty for 43 years. They have three children — Phillip Neel Dotson, 43, John David Dotson, 34, and Susan Dotson Duong, 26 — and four grandchildren with another expected any day.

But he said he doesn’t think he’ll be able to sit still for long and he may do some consulting work.

“We need him in this industry,” Hanserd said.