2015 Leaders in Health Care Awards: Outstanding Health Care Executive, Puget Sound Region

WINNER

Gary S. Kaplan, M.D.

Chairman and CEO, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle

Dr. Gary Kaplan and his team at Virginia Mason Medical Center have won national and international recognition for their work in bringing continuous improvement and innovative thinking to the health care industry. Kaplans leadership style is all about empowering frontline people to make operations better every day. Our belief is that those closest to the work are best able to redesign the work, Kaplan explains.

Kaplan has led Virginia Mason, a regional nonprofit of 6,000 employees operating an acute care hospital, primary and specialty care groups as well as satellite locations throughout the Puget Sound region, since 2000. In his time there, he has been named among the Top 50 most influential physician executives in the United States and among the 100 most influential people in health care in the nation. In 2009, he received a lifetime achievement award from the Medical Group Management Association.

Our system gives us a tremendous platform for innovation [and] for improved quality while lowering costs, Kaplan says. We are proud that we have been able to move this along.

In 2008, Kaplan and his team established the Virginia Mason Institute as a separate nonprofit to provide education and training in the Virginia Mason Production System, which applies principles of lean manufacturing to improve quality and patient safety.

SILVER AWARD

Robert Malte

CEO, EvergreenHealth, Kirkland

When Bob Malte talks about effecting change at EvergreenHealth, he refers to his Four Cs: communication, collaboration, commitment and coaching. Im no Pete Carroll, he says, but I do see myself as a team coach and our team has developed a system for change. … Im proud of that.

EvergreenHealth includes an acute care hospital, an emergency center, nine primary care clinics, two urgent care centers, a freestanding emergency room and a senior clinic. Malte has been at the helm since 2010. Those nominating him say he brings innovative improvements to the organization while maintaining the highest safety standards, and all at the best value.