In Brief: Hunn Departs Providence Health; St. Joseph Hoag Places Clinics In Apartment Complexes
Hunn Departs Providence Health
Michael Hunn, who served as the chief executive of Providence Health & Services’ California region, has resigned.
Hunn, who had held the post since November 2010, departed in late August, according to Providence spokesperson Patricia Aidem. She did not disclose any other details regarding his exit. Karl Carrier, the region's chief financial officer, is serving as interim chief executive officer.
Hunn had overseen Providence's six hospitals in the Los Angeles area, including Saint John's Health Center in Santa Monica and Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance. He had previously served as the CEO of Little Company of Mary and had been with Providence since 2006.
Providence, which is based in Renton, Wash., operates 34 hospitals in five states. It appointed a new CEO last year, Rod Hochman, M.D., following an affiliation with Seattle-based Swedish Health Services.
St. Joseph Hoag Places Clinics In Apartment Complexes
St. Joseph Hoag Health, the Newport Beach-based hospital operator, has entered into an agreement with the real estate developer the Irvine Co. to place primary care clinics in its apartment complexes.
The first clinic opened this week at the Irvine Spectrum Center and serves residents at that complex and the neighboring Park at Irvine Spectrum Center. The onsite services offered include treatment of minor illnesses, physical exams, and laboratory services.
St. Joseph Hoag had previously established an onsite clinic at the Irvine Co.'s corporate headquarters.
"This collaboration brings unprecedented convenience to the doorstep of our residents to help them achieve their health and wellness goals," said Marisa Hanke, senior vice president of strategic services for the Irvine Co.'s apartment division.
CDPH Lifts Moratorium On WIC Expansion
The California Department of Public Health has lifted a moratorium on grocery stores participating in the state's Women, Infants and Children program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture had placed a moratorium on expanding the program in 2012 in order to better manage the rising costs of administering the program. The USDA partially lifted the moratorium earlier this year, and the moratorium was eliminated completely in California earlier this month.
“This positive step will help improve availability and access for the 1.4 million women, infants and children who participate in the California WIC program,” said CDPH Director Ron Chapman, M.D. Altogether, about 250 stores are expected to be added to the program, including 167 that were added when the moratorium was partially lifted. About 4,400 stores statewide currently participate in the program, which annually provides about $1 billion in groceries to its participants.
