MemorialCare Medical Centers CEO Barry Arbuckle Elected Chair of California Hospital Association

Barry Arbuckle, PhD
President and Chief Executive Officer, MemorialCare

SACRAMENTO (January 7, 2008) – Barry Arbuckle, Ph.D. has been elected 2008 chair of the California Hospital Association (CHA) Board of Trustees. Dr. Arbuckle is president and CEO of MemorialCare Medical Centers, a health care system with six hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties.

“I am honored to serve as chair of CHA and look forward to advancing our mission to improve access to quality, cost-effective health care services for Californians,” says Dr. Arbuckle, who served as secretary-treasurer of the CHA Board in 2006 and chair-elect in 2007. “CHA is committed to remain open to divergent opinions, govern based on consensus building and most importantly, to never lose sight of the local needs of our members and the communities they serve in our nation’s largest and most diverse state.”

Dr. Arbuckle has been involved this past year in the debate over health care reform and believes CHA is “front and center” in this important policy discussion. “With the challenges California hospitals face in terms of skyrocketing costs to provide health care, inadequate reimbursement and the largest uninsured population in the U.S., it’s no surprise CHA was the first major stakeholder group to support the governor’s health reform proposal,” he notes. “Given the complexity and far reaching nature of these issues, CHA cannot remain the only trade association ‘at the table.’ We must advance our leadership position – and the enormous talents within our membership – to bring all stakeholders to that same table.”

CHA President and CEO Duane Dauner calls Dr. Arbuckle “an excellent choice to lead the CHA Board. CHA is privileged to have such an experienced and knowledgeable hospital leader to help guide our association through this coming year.”

During Dr. Arbuckle’s tenure as president and chief executive officer at MemorialCare Medical Centers, the health system has grown in prominence regionally and nationally. Honors include MemorialCare named Top Leadership Team in the County by HealthLeaders; ranking as one of Verispan’s Top 100 Integrated Systems in America that appears annually in Modern Healthcare; selected one of the best governed hospital systems in the U.S. by The Governance Institute; and listed among the 100 Most Wired Hospitals and Health Systems by Hospitals & Health Networks eight consecutive years. During the last year, he appeared on the cover of three business magazines which noted MemorialCare’s leadership in clinical information systems, best practice medicine and innovative solutions to the shortages among nurses and other health care personnel.

A graduate of Southwest Missouri State University, Dr. Arbuckle earned his master’s degree from Arizona State University and a Ph.D. from University of North Carolina. Prior to leading the MemorialCare health system, Dr. Arbuckle was CEO of two MemorialCare Medical Centers—Saddleback Memorial in Laguna Hills and Orange Coast Memorial in Fountain Valley. Other MemorialCare Medical Centers include Long Beach Memorial, Anaheim Memorial, Saddleback Memorial in San Clemente and Miller Children’s Hospital in Long Beach. Dr. Arbuckle is married with four children—the oldest is pursuing a degree in nursing.

As one of the largest health care trade associations in the nation, CHA represents nearly 450 hospitals and health systems in California. The association provides its members with public policy development, issues management and legislative advocacy services at the state and federal levels.