Kaiser Permanente's Benjamin K. Chu, MD Listed Among Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Minority Executives

OAKLAND, Calif., April 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Benjamin K. Chu, MD, MPH, MACP, group president for Kaiser Permanente Southern California and Kaiser Permanente Hawaii, has been named one of Modern Healthcare's Top 25 Minority Executives. The annual list showcases influential, diverse leaders who have served as mentors to other minority health care executives and have demonstrated the ability to effect change in the health care industry.

"Ben has made outstanding contributions to the field of health care and to the individual hospitals, health systems and academic institutions that have included him as part of their organization," said Bernard J. Tyson, president and chief operating officer for Kaiser Permanente. "He is a talented leader who has built collaborative relationships across the organization. He takes time to develop other leaders and engages front-line caregivers in delivering high quality, affordable care."

"I am honored to be named to such a distinguished list of minority health care executives and know we all share common ground in asking the one critical question: What is best for the patient? What we can do to help people get better and stay healthy," said Dr. Chu. "The unifying mission must always be to provide timely access to high quality care that is responsive to the needs of the individual and the diversity of our society."

Dr. Chu currently directs hospital and health plan operations for 14 hospitals and 168 medical offices, serving more than 3.5 million members. He was appointed regional president of Kaiser Permanente Southern California in 2005. In 2011, he was appointed group president with additional accountability for Kaiser Permanente's Hawaii region. Later that year, he was named chair-elect of the American Hospital Association, appointed to represent America's hospitals and health systems in 2013.

Prior to joining Kaiser Permanente, Dr. Chu served as president of New York City's Health and Hospitals Corp., the largest public hospital system in the country. He was senior vice president for medical and professional affairs for the public hospitals and acting commissioner of health for the New York City Department of Health.

Specializing in internal medicine, Dr. Chu was senior associate dean at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and associate dean and vice president for clinical affairs at the New York University School of Medicine and Medical Center. From 1989 to 1990, he was a legislative assistant for health for New Jersey Sen. Bill Bradley, holding a Robert Wood Johnson policy fellowship.

Dr. Chu also serves on the board of the Commonwealth Fund in New York and is chair of the American Legacy Foundation. He has previously served on the American Hospital Association Board and was a member of its executive committee in 2008. Currently he is an AHA representative to The Joint Commission.

Dr. Chu earned his medical degree from New York University and holds a master's of public health from Columbia University and a bachelor's degree in psychology from Yale University.

"Ben Chu is one of the most capable and successful health care leaders in America," said Kaiser Permanente Chairman and CEO George Halvorson. "We are delighted to have him on the Kaiser Permanente leadership team."

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 serve approximately 8.9 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.

For more information
Farra Levin, 510.267.7364, [email protected]

SOURCE Kaiser Permanente