Catholic Health East: Latest News

New Chief Medical Officer Appointed at Catholic Health East

February 6, 2006

Thomas L. Garthwaite, MD

Following an extensive national search process, Thomas L. Garthwaite, MD has been appointed Catholic Health East's (CHE) new Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer.

In this position, Garthwaite is responsible for providing leadership and coordinating system-wide efforts directed at improving effectiveness and efficiency of patient care services. He will work to enhance physician relationships across the health system. He assumed his new position at CHE on January 16, 2006.

"Tom has an outstanding record of medical leadership and service," said Robert V. Stanek, President and Chief Executive Officer of Catholic Health East. "His expertise and experience will serve CHE well, particularly in critically important areas such as quality improvement and patient safety initiatives."

Since 2002, Garthwaite has served as Director and Chief Medical Officer of the Department of Health Services, County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California. The Department of Health Services is the second largest public health system in the nation, with 23,000 employees, five acute care hospitals and a budget exceeding $3 billion. He led initiatives in clinical excellence, established system-wide best practices, and directed the development and deployment of a comprehensive performance management system focused on improving patient outcomes.

Prior to leading LA's Health Department, Garthwaite served for seven years in leadership positions with the Veterans Health Administration's Department of Veterans Affairs in Washington, D.C. He was Undersecretary for Health from 1999 through 2002, and Deputy Undersecretary of Health from 1995 to 1999. Before arriving in Washington, Garthwaite served for 14 years in progressively responsible leadership positions at the VA Medical Center and the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the last nine years as Chief of Staff and Associate Dean.

A graduate of Cornell University and Temple University School of Medicine, Garthwaite completed an internal medicine residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin Affiliated Hospitals, and an endocrinology and metabolism fellowship at The Medical College of Wisconsin, Veterans Medical Center.

"It is an honor for me to join with CHE's Sponsors and colleagues as we strive to build on the substantial progress already made to provide the safest and highest quality care possible to those in need," said Garthwaite. "After 30 years of public service, I feel highly connected to CHE's values and Mission."

Catholic Health East is a multi-institutional Catholic health system, which is co-sponsored by 15 religious congregations and Hope Ministries, a Public Juridic Person within Catholic Health East. Based in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania, the System provides the means to ensure the continuation of the Catholic identity and operational strength of the Sponsors' health ministries, which are located within 11 eastern states from Maine to Florida.

The System includes acute care hospitals, free-standing and hospital-based skilled nursing facilities, residential facilities, free-standing behavioral health and rehabilitation facilities, and numerous ambulatory and community based health services. Catholic Health East facilities employ approximately 43,000 full time employees as partners in ministry.

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