Press Releases: National
January 5, 2005
Kaiser Permanente names Benjamin K. Chu, MD president of Southern California Region
Senior Healthcare Leader Led New York City's Public Hospital System
Benjamin Chu, MD
OAKLAND, Calif. – Kaiser Permanente has appointed Benjamin K. Chu, MD, president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan's Southern California Region. Chu joins Kaiser Permanente from the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC), where he was president of the $4.2 billion dollar public hospital system. HHC comprises 11 acute-care hospitals, 40,000 employees, and 7,000 contracted physicians. Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region is made up of 11 major medical centers, 47,300 employees, and 3,600 physicians.
"We are thrilled to welcome Ben Chu to our organization," said Leslie A. Margolin, Kaiser Permanente's national senior vice president for Health Plan and Hospital Operations, who led the search. "Under his leadership, HHC implemented clinical information systems throughout the organization, redesigned ambulatory care, and carried out a $1.2 billion capital rebuilding program, among other initiatives."
"Dr. Chu comes highly recommended by New York City officials, the unions that represent city hospitals, and public policy officials." Margolin said. "His strong partnering skills with labor and with health plan, hospital, physician, and community leaders will serve our organization well."
"I am extremely excited about the prospects of joining the Kaiser Permanente family in Southern California," says Dr. Chu. "Kaiser Permanente has been the focus of so many innovations in healthcare delivery. With its KP HealthConnect (new electronic medical record system) strategy and its emphasis on quality and its measurement, Kaiser Permanente is poised to push the healthcare system to a new level of performance."
Prior to joining HHC, Dr. Chu was the senior associate dean for Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons for the Harlem Hospital affiliation. He managed the affiliation contract and was responsible for the graduate medical education and research programs sponsored by Columbia University at Harlem Hospital.
Previously, he served as associate dean and vice president for clinical affairs at New York University and at the New York University Medical Center.
Dr. Chu, an internist by training, received his medical degree from New York University, earned a master's degree in public health from Columbia University, and a BA in psychology from Yale University.
Dr. Chu, 52, will assume his new duties in mid-February.
About Kaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, our mission is to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 8.6 million members in nine states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal physicians, specialists and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the art care delivery and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education and the support of community health. For more information, go to: www.kp.org/newscenter.
