LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Martin Luther King, Jr.-Los Angeles Healthcare Corporation (“MLK-LA”) today announced that it has appointed Dr. Elaine Batchlor as Chief Executive Officer of the new Martin Luther King, Jr. (MLK) Community Hospital.
Dr. Batchlor comes to the Hospital with more than 20 years of experience in the medical field, serving most recently as Chief Medical Officer for L.A. Care, the largest public health plan in the United States and a leader in developing innovative programs to provide health coverage to vulnerable populations.
The new MLK Hospital is currently under construction and is scheduled to open in South Los Angeles in 2014. The new hospital was designed to meet pressing community needs by providing inpatient primary care, basic emergency services, and health education and outreach services typical of a community hospital. The facility will anchor a campus in Willowbrook planned to provide a range of healthcare and social services planned to meet the community’s long-term needs.
“Dr. Batchlor is a compelling leader with a proven track record of dedication to this community and successful implementation of innovative health care solutions,” said Manny Abascal, Chairman of the Board of Directors of MLK-LA. “She comes to the new Hospital with a deep understanding of this community. She has been the force behind much-needed innovation in the Los Angeles health care system and we look forward to her leadership.”
Dr. Batchlor said, “I am inspired by the Board’s dedication to this project and I am eager to get started. I look forward to working together toward the successful opening of the Hospital with the County of Los Angeles, the University of California and the community at large. South Los Angeles has an urgent need for a community hospital, and the new MLK Hospital was designed specifically to meet that need. Working together with our partners and the network of healthcare providers at the Willowbrook campus and beyond, I know we can succeed in bringing high quality health care to the community.”
“I am delighted with Dr. Batchlor’s appointment to helm the new MLK Hospital,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Mark Ridley-Thomas. “Dr. Batchlor has the experience, expertise and leadership skills required to make this tremendous undertaking, the launch of a new hospital, the success we know it will be.”
In her previous position with L.A. Care, Dr. Batchlor advocated for the widespread adoption of health information technology, helping physicians use electronic health records and telemedicine to improve access and provide integrated, patient-centered care. Dr. Batchlor also worked to expand access to medical care, supporting grants to open health care centers and maintain extended community clinic hours across Los Angeles.
Before her work at L.A. Care, Dr. Batchlor served as Vice President, Health Care Finance, Organization and Operations at the California HealthCare Foundation. Dr. Batchlor currently sits on the board of the Integrated Healthcare Association, a statewide organization promoting the continuous evolution of managed healthcare, as well as the California HealthCare Foundation Leadership program.
Batchlor is a licensed physician who is board-certified in internal medicine and rheumatology. She earned an M.D. degree from Case Western Reserve University and a Bachelor of Science in biology from Harvard University. She also holds a Master’s Degree in Public Health from UCLA.
About MLK Community Hospital
The new Martin Luther King, Jr. Community will serve the community by providing general acute care, basic emergency services, labor and delivery services, and health education and outreach programs. It will be licensed for approximately 130 beds, including a 21-bed emergency department and a critical care unit.
The County of Los Angeles has committed to provide capital fund in support of the Hospital. It has also made a commitment to assist with the cost of providing care to patients who will utilize the Hospital’s services but lack the ability to pay. The University of California health care system, through its UCLA campus, will play a leadership role in physician recruitment and retention, and in developing and maintaining high quality standards for patient care.
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