The CEO of Denver Health medical center, whose tenure has been marked in recent months by turmoil and departures of top doctors, announced his retirement Wednesday.

Arthur Gonzalez, who arrived to lead Denver’s safety-net hospital four years ago, said he will leave June 30.

“I am proud of all that we have accomplished together during the years I have been at Denver Health, and I am excited for the future of this great organization,” he said. “After 43 years in health care administration, I have been giving a great deal of thought to the right time to retire and decided that now is the time.”

Gonzalez’s announcement follows a time of strife at Denver Health. Three of the hospital’s five neurosurgeons have said they will leave at the end of this month, and several department heads have resigned or announced their intentions to take jobs elsewhere.

Gonzalez responded by eliminating the job of his chief clinical officer, Dr. Ken Bellian, and promising a more democratic approach to hospital administration.

That did not allay the concerns of some Denver Health doctors who felt Gonzalez himself was part of the problem.

“Certainly, there were internal dynamics with medical staff that presented challenges,” Gonzalez told The Denver Post on Wednesday, “but that is only a piece of the picture. The decision to retire is a deeply personal one. A lot goes into it.”

During his tenure, “I feel we have put Denver Health on a path for success following a major transition under the Affordable Care Act,” he said.

Gonzalez succeeded Dr. Patricia Gabow, the longtime hospital leader who helped transform Denver Health from a city hospital into a semi-public entity with more financial flexibility.

Much of the internal trouble at Denver Health concerned spending priorities and staffing levels at a 155-year-old hospital known for providing Level 1 trauma care to all.

In recent interviews with The Post, current and former doctors voiced concerns ranging from reduced operating-room staffs to the hospital’s commitment to serving the needy and the eroding state of its partnership with University of Colorado Hospital.

The Post identified 15 Denver Health doctors who departed or gave notice in the last year.

The neurosurgeons took patient safety concerns to the university, which provides much-needed medical residents to Denver Health, according to Dr. Gregory Jurkovich, the hospital’s former surgery chief.

Gonzalez called those concerns unfounded, saying that “Denver Health is absolutely and unequivocally committed to its missions.”

Rus Heise, who chairs the hospital’s board of directors, praised Gonzalez in a statement Wednesday.

“Art came in to lead Denver Health at a time of immense change for Denver Health, driven in large part by the Affordable Care Act,” he said. “Thanks to Art and his leadership, we have managed that transition. Denver Health is stronger and better than it was when he arrived.”

He said that during Gonzalez’s tenure, the Affordable Care Act brought thousands of newly insured patients, the hospital’s finances improved, waiting lists for primary care appointments were reduced from 10,000 to zero and a new electronic health record system will soon be operational.

Heise was unavailable for interviews Wednesday.

In September, the hospital board increased Gonzalez’s base salary from $760,000 to $800,000, which the hospital calls the midpoint for comparable institutions. In addition, he was paid $180,706 last year for achieving organizational goals in 2014 ranging from patient safety to finances.

Steven Summer, president of the Colorado Hospital Association, thanked Gonzalez for his service to the association and to Denver Health.

The association urges the hospital board “to consider the organization’s strategic opportunities and the skills necessary to lead an organization like Denver Health into the future,” he said.

That may take time.

“We wanted to inform you as soon as this decision was made, so that we can quickly begin the process of selecting an interim leader while the board initiates the selection process for a new permanent CEO,” Gonzalez and Heise wrote in a message to hospital employees. “We anticipate the search could take six to 12 months.”

David Olinger: 303-954-1498, dolinger@denverpost.com or @dolingerdp