Alameda Health System Names Dave Gravender Chief I

OAKLAND, Calif., Oct. 7, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Alameda Health System (AHS) announced the appointment of Dave Gravender as Chief Information Officer. In his new role, Gravender will lead the development and execution of strategic plan elements, including the operation of Information Systems for AHS, a nationally recognized public health care provider. Gravender is an expert in improving patient safety, organizational performance and clinical functionality through information technologies and he has deep experience as an analyst, programmer, team leader and facilitator. He will begin his new role effective immediately.

"Dave is a seasoned healthcare IT executive with a career built on providing solutions. His expertise will be critical to helping solve some of our biggest challenges, from system-wide implementation of electronic health records to managing vendor agreements to full integration of biomedical equipment. We look forward to Dave joining our team, where his contributions will help facilitate our vision for a system of care that promotes wellness, eliminates disparities and optimizes the health of our region's diverse communities," said Wright L. Lassiter III, Chief Executive Officer of AHS.

Gravender comes to AHS from Kaweah Healthcare District in Visalia, Calif., where he served as Vice President and Chief Information Officer since 1998, and managed four departments, 139 employees and a budget of $25 million. Between 1985 and 1998, Gravender worked for Community Health Network in Indianapolis, Ind., serving in various roles from program analyst to Director of Information Systems. From 1994 to 1996, while acting as Director of Information Services Administration for Community Health Network, he oversaw 215 employees and served as information architect for a 2,000-bed health system with $1 billion in revenue. The two-year experiment resulted in a combined savings of $16 million for the health network. 

Gravender earned his B.A. in 1982 from Eastern Michigan University, and his M.A. in 1998 from the University of Indianapolis.

About Alameda Health System

Alameda Health System (AHS), a major public health care provider headquartered in Oakland, California, is recognized as a world-class patient and family centered system of care. Its mission – caring, healing, teaching and serving all – sums up the AHS core objectives to promote wellness and eliminate disparities within the diverse communities it serves in Alameda County. As a regional and national leader in health care safety and excellence, AHS aims to optimize the health of all Alameda County residents by multiplying access points to its best-in-class care.

AHS creates positive patient experiences. Service and community engagement are a priority, and the system offers programs that deliver value to individuals across all patient populations regardless of their social or economic status. Quality, financial strength and development of the workforce are also system hallmarks that ensure continual improvement to every aspect of our reach in the community.

A major economic force in Alameda County, AHS employs 3,200 people, including over 500 physicians at seven facilities. These include Highland Hospital, a major regional trauma center and teaching hospital, John George Psychiatric Hospital, an acute and emergency care facility in San Leandro, California; Fairmont Hospital, an acute rehabilitation hospital and skilled nursing facility, also in San Leandro; and four ambulatory wellness centers in Oakland, Newark and Hayward, California. 

Jerri Applegate Randrup (510) 437-4732 Kyle McGuire (925) 790-2788