California Health Care Personnel News Update for March 2009
California Department of Managed Health Care
The California Department of Managed Health Care has tapped Braulio Montesino to its general counsel, the Sacramento Business Journal reports.
Previously, Montesino worked as assistant deputy director of DMHC's Office of Legal Services (Sacramento Business Journal, 3/13).
California Division of Workers' Compensation
Destie Overpeck will serve as acting director of the California Division of Workers' Compensation while Chief Deputy Administrative Director Carrie Nevans is on temporary personal leave, the San Francisco Business Times reports.
No reason was given for Nevans' leave, the Times reports (Johnson, San Francisco Business Times, 3/25).
California State Board of Pharmacy
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) has appointed Gregory Lippe (R) -- managing partner for Lippe, Hellie, Hoffer & Allison -- to the State Board of Pharmacy.
Senate confirmation is required for the appointment, for which compensation is $100 per diem (Office of the governor release, 3/11).
California Pacific Medical Center, San Francisco
Martin Brotman, CEO of California Pacific Medical Center, will step down to take on executive duties for Sutter Health, CPMC's parent company, the San Francisco Business Times reports.
Brotman will oversee Sutter Health hospitals that are located in the West Bay region.
Brotman will remain at CPMC until a replacement is named, according to Sutter spokesperson Bill Gleeson (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 3/6).
Dental Board of California
Gov. Schwarzenegger has named a number of new members to the Dental Board of California. The appointees are:
- Rebecca Downing (D), chief compliance officer and chief legal officer for Western Health Advantage;
- Huong Le, dental director of Asian Health Services and an adjunct professor at UC-San Francisco;
- Thomas Olinger (R), a dentist in private practice; and
- Bruce Whitcher (D), a dentist who serves in a private practice specializing in oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Le declined to state a party affiliation.
In addition, the governor has reappointed:
- John Bettinger (R), a dentist in private practice;
- Stephen Casagrande (D), a general dentistry practitioner; and
- Suzanne McCormick (R), an oral and maxillofacial surgeon in private practice.
Senate confirmation is not required for the appointments. Compensation is $100 per diem (Office of the Governor release, 3/27).
Hemet Valley Medical Center
Hugh King will leave his post as chief financial officer and administrator at Hemet Valley Medical Center, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reports.
Quorum Health Resources, which manages the health care district, has reassigned King to another position (Hines, Riverside Press-Enterprise, 3/29).
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian, Newport Beach
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian has selected Robert Braithwaite as chief administrative officer, the Orange County Register reports.
Braithwaite previously served as senior vice president for hospital services at the facility (Bird, Orange County Register, 3/11).
Medical Board of California
Gov. Schwarzenegger named Sharon Levine (D) to the Medical Board of California.
Levine has served at the Permanente Medical Group since 1977.
Senate confirmation is required for the appointment, for which compensation is $100 per diem (Office of the governor release, 3/11).
Napa State Hospital
The governor has appointed Patricia Tyler (D) as medical director of Napa State Hospital. Tyler has served as acting director since 2007.
Annual compensation is $276,684 for the position, which does not require Senate confirmation (Office of the Governor release, 3/27).
Natividad Medical Center, Salinas
The Monterey County Board of Supervisors has named Harry Weis chief executive officer at Natividad Medical Center, the Monterey County Herald reports.
Weis currently serves as Natividad's interim chief financial officer (Johnson, Monterey County Herald, 4/1).
San Mateo County Medical Center, San Mateo
Sang-ick Chang is stepping down as CEO of San Mateo County Medical Center to take over as chief medical officer at Alameda Medical Center in Oakland, the San Francisco Business Times reports.
Chang served as chief operating officer before taking over as CEO 18 months ago.
County officials said Susan Ehrlich, the hospital's chief medical officer, would serve as interim CEO (Rauber, San Francisco Business Times, 3/3).
Chang's last day at San Mateo County Medical Center was expected to be March 20 (Bishop, San Jose Mercury News, 3/4).
Santa Clara Family Health Plan
Santa Clara Family Health Plan has tapped Elizabeth Darrow as its new CEO, the Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal reports.
Darrow replaces Leona Butler, who retired in December 2008.
Darrow previously served as a consultant to Butler and SCFHP senior executives (Silicon Valley/San Jose Business Journal, 3/3).
Yountville Veterans Home
The governor has tapped Everett Gooch (R) as hospital services administrator for the Yountville Veterans Home. Â Gooch has served in numerous positions in the Adventist Health System/West.
The position does not require Senate confirmation, and annual compensation is $99,000 (Office of the governor release, 3/11). This is part of the California Healthline Daily Edition, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.