Raj Takhar Named Vice President -- Physician Strategies for Huntington Memorial Hospital

PASADENA, Calif., May 9, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Raj Takhar has been named vice president of business & physician strategies for Huntington Memorial Hospital, effective immediately. 

In this newly created role, Takhar will be responsible for building and developing strategic relationships with aligned physician organizations in the Greater San Gabriel Valley, including Medical groups/IPAs as well as independent physicians, and Payers. Hospital Executive Vice President Jim Noble, to whom Takhar will directly report, calls this position a "key ingredient in helping Huntington Hospital continue to further its mission and enhance the integration of clinical quality care provided to the community."

Changes in healthcare, primarily brought about through the implementation of the Affordable Care Act, call for greater alignment between hospitals, payers, and physicians to care for the health of a community, not only within a hospital but also with a stronger emphasis on population management. Both Noble and Takhar will lead this effort as Huntington Hospital explores business development strategies that, according to Noble "enrich the patient experience and assure the long-term viability of the hospital as the leading quality healthcare provider in the community."

Takhar joins Huntington Hospital from Heritage Provider Network, Inc. (HPN) where he served the past nine years as vice president of regional physician network operations and delivery strategy and development. As to the latter, he led corporate strategy related to joint ventures, mergers and acquisitions, strategic relationships with both local and statewide hospital systems. Takhar's extensive healthcare experience also includes serving as chief executive officer of Gateway Medical Group/Pinnacle Health Resources, chief operations officer for HMO California, vice president of MedPartners Inc., and vice president of California operations for Aetna Professional Management Company.

A fellow in the Healthcare Financial Management Association and a member of American Medical Group Association, Takhar holds Master's degrees in Healthcare Administration and Public Health Administration from Loma Linda School of Public Health. He earned his Bachelor of Science in behavioral health sciences from the University of Utah.

Huntington Memorial Hospital is a 625-bed, not-for-profit hospital that is home to the only Level II trauma center in the San Gabriel Valley. In addition to being granted Magnet^® status in 2011, Huntington Hospital has been ranked nationally by U.S. News and World Report in two specialties and was named the eighth best hospital in California. Renowned for its programs in neurosciences, cardiovascular services and cancer care, Huntington Hospital is an active teaching hospital with graduate medical education programs in internal medicine and general surgery. Consistent with its mission the hospital provides millions of dollars annually in charity care, benefits for vulnerable populations, health research, education and training, and support programs that may otherwise be absent from the community. For more information, visit www.huntingtonhospital.com.

SOURCE Huntington Memorial Hospital