MemorialCare Medical Centers Named Top Leadership Team in U.S.

In face of state’s health challenges, this Southland Health System Team Leads Nation in Leadership, Quality & Innovation, says Health Leaders Magazine

In an era of hospital closures, labor shortages and reduced funding for health care, one Southern California hospital system emerges as the nation’s top leader for medical innovation and management.

MemorialCare Medical Centers’ five-hospital system in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, was named 2005 HealthLeaders Top Leadership Team in Healthcare. MemorialCare is THE 1ST CALIFORNIA HEALTH SYSTEM receiving this honor.

Some of the innovations that earned MemorialCare Medical Centers this recognition include:

• Developing a system-wide strategic plan that makes pursuit of quality an organization-wide goal for all 9,000 employees.
• Recognized as a pioneer in documenting and sharing clinical outcomes with doctors, employers and public – and for surpassing national benchmarks for outcomes dealing with major illnesses.
• Utilizing outcome statistics and physician support to favorably negotiate insurance contracts.
• Engaging thousands of physicians, nurses and other health professionals in developing best practices, that is, clinically proven and evidence-based medical care adopted at all five hospitals. By using best practice guidelines for cardiac care, for example, MemorialCare saves an estimated 47 lives yearly.
• Creating and distributing 700,000 MemorialCare Medical Information and Access “Smart” Cards with medical and emergency information that links together patients, physicians, insurers and hospitals.
• Establishing a partnership with 1,500 independent physicians built on clinical excellence.
• Placing its Physician Society leadership on equal footing with the system’s board of trustees.
• Boosting substantially both market share and profitability through effective, efficient leadership.

“The leadership team across MemorialCare’s system demonstrates an unwavering commitment to best practices to guide its organization’s clinical and operational decisions,” says Scott McQuigg, president and publisher of HealthLeaders, an award-winning magazine for senior executives. “This commitment and unique relationships the team developed with area doctors through MemorialCare Physician Society are examples of the good that comes about when leaders dedicate themselves to working together for a common cause.”

Says Barry Arburckle, PhD, MemorialCare’s President and CEO. “This designation is testament to collaborative efforts to advance best practices in clinical care, as well as financial operations, management, organizational culture and governance. “It takes talented leaders to promote our ambitious and focused agenda. I am proud of all that we accomplish for the benefit of our communities.” Health Leaders selected MemorialCare after an extensive application and in-person interviews with all of the finalists’ management teams.