Dr. Jeffrey Weisz Assumes Leadership as Head of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group.

Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers

PASADENA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 8, 2004

Effective January 1, 2004, Jeffrey Weisz, MD, formally assumed his leadership role as the new Medical Director and Chairman of the Board of one of the nation's largest self-governed medical groups, the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG).

As medical director of the 3,600-plus physician group, Weisz will ultimately be responsible for the medical care provided to more than 3 million Kaiser Permanente members in Southern California. Weisz, who succeeds Oliver Goldsmith, MD, is the sixth Medical Director in SCPMG's 52-year history.

"I'm a physician first and my leadership is based on that premise. Over the past 24 years, I have dedicated myself to improving the welfare of our patients, our physicians and our organization," said Weisz, adding that his goal is to continue to improve access, quality and service to members, while improving both physician and patient satisfaction.

Weisz joined SCPMG in 1978 as a staff Hematologist/Oncologist in Panorama City. In 1986 he became physician-in-charge of the Hematology/Oncology Section at Woodland Hills. Dr. Weisz represented his Woodland Hills colleagues as an elected board member for three terms. He served as assistant to the area associate medical director from 1996 until 1999, when he was appointed area associate medical director of the Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills Medical Center.

Dr. Weisz received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit. He completed his Internal Medicine internship and residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, and a Clinical Hematology/Oncology fellowship at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. He is a diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and the American Board of Hematology.

"I'm looking forward to working with Dr. Weisz. We both believe that our reputation as the pre-eminent leader in health care is based on providing high quality care to our patients," said Richard D. Cordova, president of Kaiser Permanente's Southern California Region. "More than a half-century ago, the partnership between SCPMG and the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan created an integrated health care delivery system that keeps clinical decision-making in the hands of the physicians and their patients. This is the cornerstone of the unique structure that today people know as Kaiser Permanente."

Kaiser Permanente is a non-profit, prepaid, group practice health maintenance organization (HMO), founded in 1945. The Kaiser Permanente Southern California Region has more than 3.1 million members. It includes 3,600 physicians in the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG) and 45,000 Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals and medical group employees. The Region is served by 11 major medical centers and 130 medical offices.

Editor's note: JPG-format photograph of Dr. Jeffrey Weisz available via email request to [e-mail] or 626-405-5534.