Nemours Names CEO for New Children's Hospital

ORLANDO, Fla., March 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Roger Oxendale, MBA, has been named CEO of Nemours Children's Hospital and will be joining the organization in April 2010. This is a new leadership position for the integrated pediatric facility, under construction at the Lake Nona Medical Campus near Orlando, Florida. He will also serve as a Nemours Senior Vice President.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100323/DC75286)

Mr. Oxendale is a nationally recognized health care executive with an impressive list of accomplishments. Prior to joining Nemours, he served as CEO of Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC and as president of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. As part of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh was recently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the 10 best children's hospitals in the country.

David Bailey, MD, MBA, president and CEO of Nemours, said: "We are confident that Roger is the ideal person for this job. His demonstrated success with one of the nation's leading children's health systems, particularly in planning for and building a new, technologically advanced facility, will allow us to continue moving Nemours forward. His understanding of children's health care, coupled with his management style and proven marketing and leadership skills, will point us toward a very bright future."

Mr. Oxendale, who received an MBA from Clarion University, joined Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC in 1995 as chief financial officer.  Appointed chief operating officer in 2000, he helped found Children's Community Pediatrics, the largest pediatric and adolescent primary care network in western Pennsylvania. The hospital's board of trustees named Mr. Oxendale president and CEO in 2005 and in 2008, he was appointed Foundation president to more effectively to align the hospital's funding needs with Foundation initiatives. He served in both capacities through 2009.

During his tenure at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Mr. Oxendale guided the construction of a new and technologically advanced pediatric hospital campus on 10 acres in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville neighborhood. The new Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC opened in May 2009.  His leadership ensured the environmental sustainability of the new hospital, which is expecting to receive Leadership in Energy and Design (LEED) certification. Roger also guided implementation of the Computerized Physician Order Entry System (CPOE), a paperless system designed to help improve care and reduce medical errors.  Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC was named the top digital children's hospital in the nation by KLAS, an independent organization that monitors healthcare technology and performance. Roger also holds a seat on the board of NACHRI (National Association of Children's Hospitals and Related Institutions).  

Previously, Roger was a senior financial executive with the Allegheny Health, Education and Research Foundation and was a senior audit manager with Coopers and Lybrand.

"We are honored to have Roger on board with us," said Roy Proujansky, MD, Executive VP, Health Operations, and COO for Nemours. "We have great expectations and look forward to working closely with Roger to achieve our goals of innovation and expansion against the backdrop of the current financial climate. Roger brings a focus and style that will benefit our Associates and the families and communities we serve."

Beyond his dedication to pediatric health care, Mr. Oxendale has a history of supporting the Pittsburgh community. He has served on the boards of a number of nonprofit organizations dedicated to youth including The Pittsburgh Project and the Greater Pittsburgh Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Mr. Oxendale and his wife, Diane, have three daughters.

"I am looking forward to joining Nemours," said Mr. Oxendale. "This is a unique and exciting opportunity to shape a major children's hospital literally from the ground up. There is a remarkable team in place with a solid track record and a vision for the future. I plan to draw upon those strengths to continue building Nemours' tradition of excellence.  I firmly believe the future of children's healthcare for our nation is with integrated delivery systems such as Nemours, and I'm excited to add value to a strong and growing organization."

The process to select a CEO involved a national search and several months of interviews.  An advisory committee comprised of many senior leaders and board members of Nemours participated in a thorough process.

Nemours is one of the nation's largest children's health systems, operating the 200-bed Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware, and 24 outpatient clinics in four states. Nemours Children's Hospital, expected to open in 2012, will include 95 beds and be part of a 60-acre health campus. It will help bring comprehensive pediatric health care and research to the forefront of the emerging health and science sector in Central Florida. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.Nemours.org.

SOURCE Nemours Health and Prevention Services