Four candidates are shortlisted for the top job at Southern District Health Board.
A report for this Thursday's board meeting says four had been shortlisted "to date". It was unclear whether that meant additional candidates could be added.
Board members would discuss the appointment process in the public-excluded session, using the legal grounds for secrecy of enabling "commercial activities and negotiations".
Nine other items would be discussed in secret, including Wakatipu health services.
The shortlist number is included in a number of actions under way dealing with recommendations in the recent Dunedin Hospital systems review, in which a "culture of disempowerment" was revealed by officials from the National Health Board (NHB).
The NHB recommended appointing a chief executive who could "convey an inspiring and compelling vision of the future to all staff and stakeholders".
Yesterday chairman Joe Butterfield reiterated he would not discuss the recruitment process in public.
Applications for the job closed in August, with the board saying at the time a decision would be made in November.
Former chief executive Brian Rousseau, who left last month, was paid $490,000 to $499,999 in 2010-11, and $500,000 to $509,999 in 2009-10, figures released by the State Services Commission last month show.
