(a) Hopemont State Hospital, heretofore established, shall be continued as a hospital for both chronically ill and infirm, which hospital shall be managed, directed and controlled as prescribed in article one, chapter twenty-five of this code. The chief executive officer thereof shall be the superintendent, who shall be a college graduate and have a minimum of two years' experience in either hospital administration, health services administration or business administration with broad knowledge of accounting, purchasing and personnel practices as related to the rendition of health and health related services.
(b) A superintendent is the person having the fiscal responsibility of the hospital and the authority to manage and administer the financial, business and personnel affairs of the hospital.
A clinical director is the person having the responsibility for decisions involving clinical and medical treatment of patients, and who shall be a duly qualified physician licensed to practice medicine in the State of West Virginia.
(c) The provisions of this section relating to the qualification of persons eligible to serve as superintendent shall not apply to any person serving in the capacity of business manager on the effective date hereof, and who has served in such capacity for at least six consecutive months next preceding such effective date.