IE Business Daily Business news for the Inland Empire.
Dr. Richard Pitts has been named medical director at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Corona.
Pitts, who has been a doctor, teacher and a hospital administrator during his 40-year career, began his new position Sept. 9, according to a published report.
“We are thrilled and very fortunate to have Dr. Pitts join us as our new medical director,” said Arrowhead Regional Director Patrick Petre in a statement. “His vast experience in all aspects of medicine and knowledge of very complex health care issues will be vital for ARMC as we begin to navigate health reform and other major shifts in our industry.”
Pitts replaces Dr. Dev GnanaDev, who was medical director from 2000 to 2012. Dr. Emily Elbert has been the medical center’s acting medical director since early this year.
Pitts will have several responsibilities, including overseeing the delivery of medical services and the quality of daily patient care. He will also report to the administrative staff regarding the state of medical services, according to the report.
Perhaps most important of all, Pitts will help implement the Affordable Care Act, better known as Obamacare. The act’s individual mandate, which will provide health care to millions of people who don’t have insurance, will take effect Jan. 1.
Pitts is a native of Massachusetts. He previously worked at Kaiser Permanente in Orange County, where he was assistant medical director and, before that, chief of occupational medicine and employee health, according to the report.
