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Cedars-Sinai's Thomas Priselac Receives NCHL's 2007 National Healthcare Leadership Award

Posted on: Wednesday, 25 July 2007, 18:25 CDT

CHICAGO, July 25 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) said today it has named Thomas M. Priselac, president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Health System, as the recipient of the 2007 National Healthcare Leadership Award. The Award recognizes his significant and lasting contributions to healthcare, his work to improve the field, and his generous mentoring of the next generation of healthcare leaders.

"Thomas Priselac is a visionary leader recognized throughout the industry for his commitment to excellence at every level of Cedars-Sinai -- patient care, research, education, and community service," said Marie E. Sinioris, president and CEO of NCHL. "As president of a leading academic medical center, Tom is highly regarded for his willingness to innovate, take bold moves, create new knowledge, and share his findings with the field. Under his guidance Cedars-Sinai has earned and maintained a stellar reputation for its patient-centered health system, clinical research, and inspired learning environment for all health professions. With that as his backdrop, Tom has made lasting improvements to the healthcare field and important contributions to future healthcare leaders."

Thomas M. Priselac, 56, has been president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai since 1994, having previously served as executive vice president since 1988. He joined the organization in 1979 after working on the executive staff of Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh. He has served on many boards in the healthcare field over the years and currently is the chair-elect designate of the American Hospital Association, immediate past chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges, and the chair of the Healthcare Committee of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce. A past member of the American Hospital Association Board of Directors, Mr. Priselac also formerly chaired the Hospital Association of Southern California, the California Hospital Association, and the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges. He also serves as an adjunct faculty member of the UCLA School of Public Health. Mr. Priselac obtained a BA in Biology from Washington and Jefferson College in Pennsylvania, and an MPH in Public Health, Health Services Administration and Planning from the University of Pittsburgh.

"I am very honored to be recognized by an organization whose work is so crucial to the future of healthcare," Priselac said. "Leadership and accountability are more important than ever in ensuring quality, value, and access in healthcare, and NCHL has been one of the key organizations addressing these issues."

Fawn Lopez, vice president-publisher of Modern Healthcare said, "It takes strong leaders who have the vision and courage to successfully navigate the complex and ever-changing healthcare system, especially in California. Tom Priselac's leadership quality, vision, courage, and pioneering spirits are significant contributing factors towards the healthcare transformation process at Cedars Sinai and its remarkable reputation as one of America's best hospitals."

The selection committee for the National Healthcare Leadership Award was co-chaired by Stephen M. Shortell, PhD, Blue Cross of California Distinguished Professor of Healthcare Policy and Management and Dean of School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, and Richard P. Gustafson, vice chairman, Heidrick & Struggles.

Priselac will be honored on Thursday, December 6, 2007 at an award event and recognition dinner at the InterContinental Chicago that is being held in conjunction with NCHL's Invitational Symposium earlier that day. Priselac will be presented with an original glass sculpture by Czech-born artist Martin Rosol.

The NCHL National Healthcare Leadership Award is co-sponsored with Modern Healthcare. In conjunction with the award recognition event, a special supplement of Modern Healthcare on healthcare leadership, which will include an interview with Priselac, will be published.

ABOUT CEDARS-SINAI HEALTH SYSTEM

The first in Southern California and one of only 10 hospitals in the state whose nurses have been honored with the prestigious Magnet designation, Cedars-Sinai is one of the largest nonprofit academic medical centers in the western United States. For 19 consecutive years, it has been named Los Angeles' most preferred hospital for all health needs in an independent survey of area residents. Cedars-Sinai is internationally renowned for its diagnostic and treatment capabilities as well as breakthroughs in biomedical research and superlative medical education. It ranks among the top 10 non-university hospitals in the nation for its research activities and is fully accredited by the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP). Additional information is available at http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/.

ABOUT NATIONAL CENTER FOR HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP

The National Center for Healthcare Leadership (NCHL) is a not-for-profit organization that serves as an industry catalyst to assure the availability of relevant and accountable healthcare leadership for the 21st century. As an authoritative and objective source on healthcare leadership, NCHL conducts extensive research and demonstration projects on leadership, diversity, and graduate health management education. NCHL provides leadership development with its educational partners and tests new models with its Leadership Excellence Network (LENS) to create and sustain leadership and organizational excellence. For more information please visit NCHL's website at http://www.nchl.org/.

The National Center for Healthcare Leadership

CONTACT: Marie E. Sinioris of National Center for Healthcare Leadership,+1-312-755-5018

Web site: http://www.cedars-sinai.edu/http://www.nchl.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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