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Friday, Mar 29, 2024

CEO’s Tenure Full of Dedication, Community Focus

The Honoree – Hospital CEO David Levinsohn Sherman Oaks Hospital In the past year, the Valley has faced hospital closings and may see others change hands or shut their doors before too long. Throughout this widespread turmoil, Sherman Oaks Hospital has maintained its sterling reputation as a well-run community hospital. Sherman Oaks CEO David Levinsohn manages to keep track of every detail involved in running the hospital while volunteering his time as a healthcare advocate, according to those who work with him. “He’s just not corporate,” said Bonny Herman, president of VICA and a board member of the hospital. “He’s a very dedicated guy who works wonderfully with his staff and the community.” In addition to running the hospital, Levinsohn serves as co-chair of VICA’s health care committee, and is ready to donate space at the hospital to health care groups that need it, Herman said. Since 1969, the hospital has collaborated with the Grossman Burn Center, one of the most highly-respected burn treatment centers in the world. In that time, the facility has grown from two-dedicated beds to a 30-bed facility. Last year, the hospital and burn center started a foundation to support both institutions. “(Levinsohn) really started it from scratch,” said Tom Tomlin, a hospital board member for the last five years. “It’s been enormously successful in the years it’s been in operation.” Tomlin said that Levinsohn’s focus on big-picture projects does not eclipse his attention to hospital minutia. “In all the years I’ve served on the board I’ve never asked him a question where he didn’t have the answer,” Tomlin said. “His attention to detail is excellent, that’s what makes him different. I’ve served on other boards at hospitals, and David is just on top of every situation, looking for ways to do it better.” Sherman Oaks is a not-for-profit community hospital. It has 153 beds and 500 professional and support staff members, with 400 physicians on staff. Levinsohn has been in health care administration for the past 30 years. Earlier this year, Levinsohn and his wife were recipients of the Jewish Home for the Aging’s Circle of Life Award, which is given to people who donate time and energy to the home and the community at large. “He really cares about patients and the quality of care,” said Herman. The Finalists Robert C. Bills Valley Presbyterian Hospital Robert C. Bills has been a vital part of Valley Presbyterian Hospital in Van Nuys for the past three decades. He has served as president and vice chairman of the not-for-profit acute care hospital for the last 21 years and has devoted himself to enhancing patient care, broadening service for the underserved population, and improving hospital operations. One of his most major achievements includes a facility expansion program consisting of several construction projects, the most recent of which is a six-story, seismically compliant, state-of-the-art hospital tower that opened last August. “I attribute my success to an excellent management team and an excellent community oriented board. The vast majority of our board members live and work in the valley. We’ve got an incredible cadre of employees that are committed to the hospital,” Bills said. Bills takes great satisfaction in the hospital’s continued ability to treat patients regardless of their ability to pay. “We take care of everybody. It’s gratifying from a personal and a professional standpoint. In the future, I hope that we are able to remain a free standing not-for-profit community hospital that continues providing the full spectrum of services. I’m aiming to continue to grow with the growth of the Valley,” Bills said. Jeff Weiss Dale Surowitz Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center It’s not easy to run a hospital these days, as Dale Surowitz surely would know. As the CEO of Tenet Corp.-owned Encino-Tarzana Regional Medical Center, Surowitz has had to endure a period of uncertainty that goes with change of ownership. Earlier in the year, Tenet put the medical center along with about a dozen other hospitals it owns on the sale block to help it meet projections. Surowitz has guided the hospital through the stormy waters that fill the corporate environment. Growth and development of new services are among accomplishments his administration has under its belt. “We’ve able to weather (the sale) pretty well,” Surowitz said. The medical center has reached out to local community colleges and other hospitals and is nurturing partnerships that enable it to meet nursing ratios, provide jobs and most importantly, provide healthcare with up to 290 beds at two locations. At Pierce College, the medical center funds a program that enables licensed vocational nurses to become registered nurses. Before taking over his current responsibilities, Surowitz spent five years as president and CEO of the North Hollywood Medical Center and was an administrator at three other acute care facilities. He has been named Outstanding Business person of the Year by the Encino Chamber of Commerce. Slav Kandyba

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