California Hospital Association Names Guy Qvistgaard to Behavioral Health Advisory Board

SAN LEANDRO, Calif., March 20, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Alameda County Medical Center (ACMC) is pleased to announce the election of Guy Qvistgaard to the California Hospital Association's (CHA's) Center for Behavioral Health (CBH) Advisory Board. Qvistgaard will serve a 3-year term on the state-level board.

The CBH Advisory Board is an advisory body that provides direct input to the CHA Board of Trustees on issues of importance to behavioral health providers. The CBH represents California Hospital Association members that provide behavioral health and/or substance-use disorder services in the state and serves in an advisory capacity to the CHA board regarding issues affecting inpatient psychiatric care.

"We are honored to have Guy serve in this important advisory position given his experience in this critical field of medicine," says Bill Manns, ACMC's Chief Operating Officer. "His evidence-driven approach to improving safety and quality has produced very positive results for our patients and our people. We are certain others will benefit from Guy's vast experience and invaluable insight."

With more than 15 years of experience in hospital operations and 32 years in the behavioral health arena, Qvistgaard is a thought leader in the field of acute psychiatric care administration. Since joining ACMC in January of 2010, he has improved therapy and patient surroundings and engaged behavioral health providers in community outreach. His focus on staff training and staff/patient collaboration has slashed incidents of restraint-seclusion and assaults by more than 75%.

For 13 years prior to joining ACMC, Qvistgaard was an operations executive throughout the Adventist Health system in California, including Loma Linda Medical Center. Most recently, he served as senior vice president of operations at St. Helena Hospital in Napa County, California.

About Alameda County Medical Center

Alameda County Medical Center (www.acmedctr.org) is a nationally recognized public healthcare system with more than 2,800 employees and 475 accredited beds. It serves the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area through six facilities including Highland Hospital in Oakland and the John George Psychiatric Pavilion in San Leandro, Fairmont Hospital in San Leandro and three community-based wellness centers. The system provides a range of services from family and women's health to pediatrics, oncology and orthopedics.

SOURCE Alameda County Medical Center