SA health chief executive departs

South Australia's health chief says he will leave the scandal-plagued department with no regrets.

David Swan will leave SA Health in September after six years as chief executive to head up St Vincent's Private Hospitals.

His deputy, Vickie Kaminski, will serve as interim chief executive until the opening of the new Royal Adelaide Hospital, Health Minister Jack Snelling said on Friday.

Describing his new job offer as "too good to refuse", Mr Swan said he believed he had left behind a legacy of reform.

Asked whether he had any regrets, Mr Swan replied "not at all".

"Ultimately I accept accountability for everything that happens in SA Health but we do so many good things that happen on a daily basis," he told reporters.

"There's hundreds of thousands of patients that are receiving services every week within our system and the quality of care that they provide is as good as anywhere you'll find in the world."

SA Health has come under attack in recent years over scandals including the under-dosing of chemotherapy patients, the use of hidden cameras to monitor pathology staff and revelations health workers snooped on patient files.

Doctors and nurses at a number of hospitals have railed against the proposed Transforming Health reforms, which will streamline hospital services.

The department has also had problems with the $2 billion new Royal Adelaide Hospital, with patients unlikely to be admitted until next year because developers have missed multiple deadlines for technical completion.

Ms Kaminski, a former chief of the Alberta Health Service in Canada, has only been with SA Health for three months.

Mr Snelling said she had "exceptional experience", including running a health system three times the size of South Australia's.