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Saturday, Nov 9, 2024

New CEO at West Hills Joins As Hospital Prepares Retrofit

New CEO at West Hills Joins As Hospital Prepares Retrofit By SLAV KANDYBA Staff Reporter Beverly J. Gilmore is just finishing her second week at the helm of West Hills Hospital, but the Northern California transplant already has a feel for the San Fernando Valley. “It’s a very inviting family community,” said Gilmore, who has been president and CEO of the 236-bed hospital since Sept. 13. “It really seems to have its own it’s not just a suburb.” Gilmore took over a position vacated when former West Hills president and CEO Jim Sherman left to accept the same position at Los Robles Hospital. “I believe that Beverly is the ideal person to succeed me at West Hills Hospital,” Sherman said in a statement. “I have known her for six years and had the opportunity to work with her when she was CEO of South Valley Hospital in the San Jose area.” Gilmore said she had a “very positive impression” of Sherman and after talking with him “at great length” and finding that he “felt it was home for him,” decided to accept the position. She had been CEO of Sutter Solano Medical Center in Vallejo. With two weeks on the job behind her, Gilmore’s primary order of business is to oversee the plans for seismic retrofitting of the hospital, which will also involve building a new emergency department and intensive care units. “They’ll take place over the same span of time,” Gilmore said. “I don’t know the timeline yet.” West Hills hospital has submitted plans to the state for $40 million in expansion and earthquake safety construction. Reaching out to community groups, including charities and other organizations, is also on Gilmore’s agenda. “Our community I’m sure wants a hospital here, it’s important to be involved in charities,” Gilmore said, adding she has a number of upcoming events to attend where she hopes to meet representatives from various groups. Reaching out to the community is especially important at a time when several Los Angeles County hospitals are downsizing their services or even shutting their doors, she said. But the prospects seem to be good at West Hills. “There’s a lot of support for the future and growth of West Hills,” Gilmore said.

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