AVH CEO WONG LET GO MIRZABEGIAN REPLACING HIM.

Byline: KAREN MAESHIRO

Staff Writer

LANCASTER -- Antelope Valley Hospital Chief Executive Officer Les Wong was terminated Friday in a 3-1 vote by the hospital's board of directors.

Officials said the action was an amiable separation with Wong agreeing to step down, and the board named Chief Operating Officer Ed Mirzabegian as acting CEO, pending contract negotiations.

"We need a different set of skills than we needed when we hired Les. When we hired Les, one of the biggest problems was the board," director June Snow said. "Now the board is much more stable, and we have problems with operations that need to be addressed. Ed is really the guy to do it. He has been here two years and shown the skills that he is the guy to do it. We need someone who is a lot more operational-oriented."

Director Berna Mayer cast the dissenting vote, and board member Dr. Don Parazo was absent.

Mayer said he agreed it was time to replace Wong but wanted to conduct a national search for a new top administrator and retain Wong during that process.

"We are a large hospital. We have many issues, and I just felt along with a national search Ed could have applied and maybe we would have chosen him anyway," Mayer said.

The board held at least four closed-door meetings since March to discuss Wong's performance, including two meetings this past week on Monday and Friday, neither of which Parazo attended, officials said.

The vote Friday comes after the hospital reported a year-to-date loss of $10.2 million at the end of April. Other issues cited by directors included low patient and employee satisfaction ratings, although they have been improving over the past few months, directors said.

In addition, the hospital is embarking on Phase 1 of a major expansion, a $90 million plan that includes nearly doubling the size of the emergency room, adding more ICU beds and remaking the hospital entrance, a project that Mirzabegian spearheaded.

Wong was out of town and could not be reached for comment. He was earning an annual salary of $325,000 under an open contract with no expiration date, officials said.

Board Chairman Dr. John Manning said Wong was agreeable to leaving.

"Les came on in very tumultuous times. He stabilized the hospital. We have a stable board now. He turned around an operating deficit to profit. But now we have had Ed for two years. He's been involved in facilities and financial planning. It's a natural transition now to move Ed into the position," Manning said.

"It's been a privilege for me to serve Antelope Valley Hospital and the community," Mirzabegian said. "I've been here almost two years. During my short tenure here I've done tremendous work to change the culture and push the hospital toward the right way in the future. We have a long way to go to make Antelope Valley Hospital the hospital of choice for our community. I'm delighted and will do my best to fulfill my responsibilities."

The hospital board in September 2003 named Wong as permanent chief executive officer after his six-month service as interim CEO.

Wong was named interim CEO, replacing ousted CEO Mathew Abraham. Wong had been the hospital's chief financial officer.

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