Bernard Klein, M.D.

Bernard Klein, M.D., chief medical officer and interim chief executive of Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, will be the hospital’s new chief executive, bringing combined expertise in medicine and hospital management to one of the San Fernando Valley’s busiest hospitals.

Dr. Klein replaces Larry Bowe, who took a regional role in December with Providence Health & Services, Southern California. His appointment was confirmed last week by the board of the Renton, Wash.-based Providence and takes effect immediately.

“Bernie stood out immediately among some very qualified candidates for his knowledge, his dedication and his innovative thinking in steering this ministry through the challenges facing today’s healthcare industry,” said Michael Hunn, senior vice president and regional chief executive. “He is so well-respected and loved at Providence Holy Cross and is a key reason this hospital is consistently listed among the best.”

Dr. Klein, who holds both a medical degree and a master’s degree in business administration, has been with Providence since 2005, initially as chief medical officer serving both Providence Holy Cross and Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank.  His efforts to apply uniform surgical care quality measures have resulted in dramatic improvements in patient outcomes. He also is credited with boosting patient satisfaction results and creating a hospitalist program to better meet patients’ individual needs. Hospitalists are physicians who work in a hospital, available 24 hours to provide links between patients and their personal physicians.

“I feel so incredibly blessed to take this next step and lead an organization like Providence Holy Cross where every single person is dedicated to quality and compassionate care for our patients,” Dr. Klein said. “We look forward as a team to continue meeting challenges with innovation and solutions based on evidence. Providence Holy Cross has never let obstacles stand in its path toward new ideas that mean better care for our patients, their families and our community.”

As interim chief executive, Dr. Klein led the design and implementation of a region-wide program that successfully reduced the numbers of heart failure patients requiring readmission to the hospital. He also was the lead physician in creating Providence Partners for Health, a year-old physician-led partnership that attracted 650 physicians affiliated with the five Providence Southern California medical centers. The goal is to continuously improve quality through shared records, uniform clinical standards and expert-to-expert consultation.

Dr. Klein attended UCLA, earned his medical degree from University of Health Sciences/Chicago Medical School and later received his MBA from Emory University Goizueta Business School in Atlanta. Trained as an internist, he worked for several years in private practice in Woodland Hills.

Providence Holy Cross, established in 1961, is a 377-bed Catholic not-for-profit hospital with nearly 2,000 employees and 588 physicians on staff, as well as a strong team of volunteers. The hospital is known for its emergency care, including a renowned trauma center, and for specialties including cardiology, orthopedics, oncology, neurology, rehabilitation and maternity. Providence Holy Cross also operates outpatient centers in Mission Hills, Santa Clarita and Porter Ranch and provides numerous outreach services to the community’s underserved.