Catholic Healthcare West Announces the Resignation of a Valued Leader and Acknowledges His Contributions.

SAN FRANCISCO--(BW HealthWire)--June 17, 1999--

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Kevin Fickenscher, M.D. announced his resignation from Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) noting that he has largely achieved the goals he set forth when he joined Catholic Healthcare West (CHW) approximately three years ago.

"My work here has been personally, professionally and spiritually fulfilling because I've been able to recruit and work with a top-notch team that is committed to providing quality patient care in a compassionate, values-driven environment," said Fickenscher. "CHW is shifting its focus from centralized medical group management to achieving economic alignment between CHW hospitals and regional physician delivery systems. This changing focus provided a good opening for me to leave CHW and pursue other new and equally meaningful challenges."

During his years at CHW, Fickenscher became known for his high energy and creativity, visionary leadership, as well as his ability to recruit and develop both physician and organizational leaders. He coalesced some of the health care industry's best teams in the areas of care management, managed care and information management and provided leadership to successful turnarounds in these areas.

"Dr. Fickenscher has a unique ability to recognize and draw out the best in people, both in terms of their work and their values," said Richard Kramer, president and CEO of CHW. "We will miss him and the sincere sense of mission and purpose that he brought to our organization. We wish him well in his other pursuits, and hope that he will continue to stay in touch with our organization."

Catholic Healthcare West is a system of hospitals, ancillary facilities, home care and physician organizations in California, Arizona and Nevada, committed to providing compassionate, high-quality care to the communities it serves. Last year it provided over $177 million in free or low cost community benefits and care for the poor.

CHW is cosponsored by the Sisters of Mercy, Auburn and Burlingame Regional Communities; Daughters of Charity, Province of the West; Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word of Houston, Texas; Dominican Sisters of San Rafael; Dominican Sisters of St. Catherine of Siena, of Kenosha, Wisconsin; Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, of Frankfort, Illinois and the Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity of Redwood City. The CHW provider network includes over 8,639 affiliated physicians, 48 hospitals, assets of $5.7 billion and revenues of $4.4 billion.