Published: January 19, 2026
LANSING, Mich. – Joseph J. Kochan III, M.D., a longtime anesthesiologist and U.S. Navy veteran, has begun a two-year term as Chief of Medical Staff at University of Michigan Health-Sparrow Lansing.
Kochan was elected to the role by members of the medical staff and had served as Chief of Medical Staff-Elect for the past two years.
Kochan succeeds Michael Kent McLeod, M.D., MBA, FACS, FACE, representing the hospital’s medical staff and working with leadership on clinical quality, patient safety and physician engagement. University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is grateful for McLeod’s outstanding leadership and is indebted to him for his service to our patients and staff.
“I am deeply honored to serve my colleagues and this institution in this capacity,” Kochan said. “My focus will be on fostering collaboration, supporting our clinical teams and advancing the exceptional patient care that defines our community.”
Joseph J. Kochan, M.D., Chief of Medical Staff
The Chief of Medical Staff is elected by medical staff members for a six-year leadership track. The role begins with a two-year term as Chief of of Medical Staff-Elect, followed by two years as Chief of Medical Staff, and concludes with two years as immediate Past Chief of Medical Staff.
Kochan, a native of Sterling Heights, earned his Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry and Doctor of Medicine from Wayne State University. He was commissioned in the Navy in 1988 and completed his anesthesiology residency at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, Va., in 1999. His extensive military career included deployments aboard multiple ships, service as deputy command surgeon in Afghanistan and a COVID-19 pandemic response deployment to New York City in 2020. He most recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff, Naval Medical Forces Pacific, in San Diego, retiring at the rank of captain.
He joined the Sparrow Hospital medical staff in 2001 and has held several leadership roles, including President of Physician Anesthesia Service and, since 2020, Director of Perioperative Services for UM Health-Sparrow Lansing.
Kent Yaney, D.O., Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine and Medical Director of the UM Health-Sparrow Lansing Emergency Department, has been elected to serve as Chief of Medical Staff-Elect.
He credited his commitment to his deep ties to the hospital, where he trained, and where his son received cancer treatment.
“I owe my son’s life to Sparrow and the incredible team that cared for him," said Yaney. "It was at that point that I decided to dedicate my entire professional career to Sparrow Hospital.”
For more information on the new Medical Chiefs of Staff, visit UofMHealthsparrow.org/News.
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University of Michigan Health-Sparrow is Mid-Michigan’s premier health care organization and includes hospitals in Lansing, Carson City, Charlotte, Ionia and St. Johns, as well as UM Health-Sparrow Specialty Hospital, Care Network, the Michigan Athletic Club, and AL!VE. UM Health-Sparrow is part of University of Michigan Health. Through the dedication of our 10,000 team members, UM Health-Sparrow pursues a vision to be nationally recognized as a leader in quality and patient experience. For more information, visit UofMHealthSparrow.org.