TAMPA, Fla. — A number of leading names at Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital have resigned in the wake of an investigation about its heart surgery program's mortality rates.

In a news release Tuesday, the hospital announced the resignation of:

  • Dr. Jonathan Ellen, president, vice dean and physician-in-chief
  • Dr. Jeffrey Jacobs, chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Surgery and director of the Andrews/Daicoff Cardiovascular Program
  • Jackie Crain, vice president, chief of staff and until recently lead risk-management executive.
  • Dr. Paul Colombani, chair of the surgery department

Kevin W. Sowers, president of the Johns Hopkins Health System and executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine, will lead the hospital in what it called a "temporary capacity" while a plan for permanent leadership is developed.

The Tampa Bay Times previously reported that the death rate for heart surgery patients at the hospital tripled between 2015 and 2017.

In the release, the hospital said: "The leadership transition announced today marks a new chapter as we work to earn back the trust of the children, families and community we serve. We are devastated when children suffer.

"Losing a child is something no family should have to endure, and we are committed to learning everything we can about what happened at the Heart Institute, including a top-to-bottom evaluation of its leadership and key processes. The events described in recent news reports are unacceptable."