Chris Van Gorder, president and CEO of Scripps Health

Scripps Health CEO and President Chris Van Gorder in 2005 will take his advocacy for health care far beyond the ever-growing Scripps medical system. Already a member of the executive committee of the California Hospital Association, Van Gorder is the incoming chair of the Healthcare Association of San Diego and Imperial County. In those roles, “I have an obligation and the responsibility to advocate not only for Scripps but for San Diego hospitals,” he says. “I believe any chief executive should be an advocate for their industry and their organization.”

Look for the former police officer to “educate” legislators in Sacramento and Washington, D.C., on behalf of all patients. “Health care is special,” Van Gorder says. “We have an obligation to meet the health care needs of the community, in addition to running a very complex business by itself. We rely a lot on government reimbursement and as a result of that we need to advocate on behalf of our patients and behalf of the organization as it relates to those governmental entities. In the long run, we will get better legislation and we will be able to have better health care for our community.”

The continued success of the Scripps Health system remains Van Gorder’s top priority. Under his command since 2001, Scripps has experienced a $40 million financial turnaround and has embarked on a strategic growth and expansion plan that will continue into 2005.