Prominent Executive to Lead MemorialCare Health System Strategic Efforts

Diane Laird Appointed Chief Strategy Officer

ORANGE and LOS ANGELES Counties, Calif., Nov. 20, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Diane Laird, an executive for nearly three decades at some of Southern California's best known health care organizations, has been named Chief Strategy Officer for MemorialCare Health System, a not-for-profit integrated delivery system with six hospitals, 12,000 employees, 3,000 affiliated physicians and more than 200 care sites in Orange and Los Angeles counties.

Laird is currently CEO of Greater Newport Physicians and Nautilus Healthcare Management Group that are part of MemorialCare Medical Foundation and MemorialCare Health System. MemorialCare Medical Foundation, with more than 2,000 employed and affiliated physicians, includes MemorialCare Medical Group and Greater Newport Physicians Independent Practice Association (IPA) divisions, the latter of which Laird has led since its founding in 1985. Nautilus Healthcare Management offers physician groups, IPAs and private physicians a full spectrum of consulting services such as practice management, physician billing, accounting and electronic medical records implementation and support. In addition to serving MemorialCare Medical Foundation and more than 200 private practice physicians, Nautilus' clients include Greater Newport Physicians, Edinger Medical Group, Cedars-Sinai Medical Group and Cedars-Sinai Health Associates.

"As one of the nation's most highly regarded integrated delivery systems, MemorialCare understands that strategy goes well beyond its exceptional Southland hospitals to encompass every level of health care, including our strong physician delivery network," says Laird. What makes MemorialCare unique is that it is the only health system in Los Angeles and Orange counties that includes the entire continuum of care. Services range from a teaching hospital, children's hospital and community hospitals to scores of physician practices, outpatient centers, imaging facilities, ambulatory surgery centers, urgent care, a health plan and retail health. Each MemorialCare offering is ideally positioned to manage the health of the individuals and families throughout the region.

"Diane Laird's vast executive experience in hospitals, medical groups and business development is ideally aligned with the future of health care and in leading MemorialCare's strategic affiliations and initiatives well into the future," says Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D., President and CEO of MemorialCare Health System.

During her tenure as CEO of Greater Newport Physicians, Laird has been instrumental in its growth and continued success. Since Greater Newport Physicians joined MemorialCare in 2012, it has doubled its physician network. Along with hundreds of physicians affiliated with MemorialCare Medical Group, Greater Newport Physicians cares for individuals and families in locations stretching from San Clemente to Long Beach. Both Greater Newport Physicians and MemorialCare Medical Group are designated Elite Medical Groups, the highest designation by California Association of Physician Groups, based on their demonstrated capabilities and performance in coordination of care, disease management, use of technology and patient satisfaction.

She serves on the Board of Directors of California Association of Physician Groups, which represents more than 150 medical groups, including 59,000 physicians who provide care to 13 million residents. Prior to founding Nautilus Healthcare Management, Laird was an executive at Hoag Hospital for more than 20 years. She received her bachelor's degree in biological sciences from University of California Irvine (UCI), master's degree in health care administration from University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and completed the California Health Leadership College Leadership Series. Diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2012, Laird has shared her inspirational journey with thousands of patients and community members throughout Southern California. She and her husband of 28 years live in Orange and have one daughter.

MemorialCare Health System is a not-for-profit integrated delivery system with more than 200 care sites, 12,000 employees and 3,000 affiliated physicians that includes six top hospitals – Long Beach Memorial, Miller Children's Hospital Long Beach, Community Hospital Long Beach, Orange Coast Memorial Medical Center in Fountain Valley and Saddleback Memorial Medical Center Laguna Hills and San Clemente; a medical group – MemorialCare Medical Group; an Independent Practice Association (IPA) – Greater Newport Physicians; Seaside Health Plan, MemorialCare HealthExpress retail clinics; ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers and numerous outpatient health centers throughout the Southland.

SOURCE MemorialCare Health System