Dr. Jeffrey Weisz' sudden and mysterious departure from Southern California Permanente Medical Group

UPDATE FEB. 27, 2012:
On February 27, 2012 Kaiser Permanente's announcement of its new CEO/Executive Medical Director for Southern California, Edward Ellison, finally popped up on the Internet. The announcement is low key, and is NOT among Kaiser's press releases.


Jeffrey A. Weisz, MD
Executive Medical Director and Chariman of the Board 2004-2012
Southern California Permanente Medical Group

It would appear that Executive Medical Director Dr. Jeffrey Weisz' departure from SCPMG in January 2012 was precipitous and unplanned, since he's been gone for almost two months and no replacement has been announced. I couldn't get anyone to answer the phone at SCPMG headquarters in Pasadena to explain what's going on. Dr. Weisz went to Northwest Permanente Medical Group. Kaiser executives seem to spend only a short time in each position, perhaps to escape responsibility for problems.

Dr. Jeffrey Weisz Has Big Plans for Kaiser Permanente
By: Diane Lund-Muzikant
The Lund Report
February 22, 2012

Dr. Jeffrey Weisz is a man on a mission. As the newly appointed president and executive medical director for the Northwest Permanente Medical Group, he’s setting his sights high.

“I believe Kaiser is the answer to healthcare in America, and I’m going to prove it,” he said in a candid interview with The Lund Report. “We’re going to save more lives, and out perform everyone with better service and access, and have the best price and the best quality. Insurance companies that have the best rates win the market. But, I want the best rate and the best quality.”

Competitors such as Providence want Kaiser’s 500,000 members, he said. “But they’re not getting them. We have a better chance they’ll lose them to us because I’m very laser focused on what needs to be done. I want to take over the market and make Kaiser as big as I can, and would like to add 20-25,000 new members every year.”

Weisz intends to partner with private employers interested in lowering their healthcare costs and having a healthier work force.

“We can run a report that no one else can, and tell employers how many of their employees smoke, how many are overweight, how many of people with diabetes have their blood sugar out of control,” he said. “No one else can do this. Everyone’s looking for an answer on how to lower healthcare costs that are escalating every year. If you prevent illness and have higher quality, you’re going to lower your costs and save lives. That’s what I believe in and what I’ll help bring to the northwest region.”

Weisz has other changes in mind as well since joining Kaiser on January 1...


Kaiser Permanente Physicians Choose Medical Director
By: The Lund Report
August 2, 2011

The board of directors of Northwest Permanente, the physicians group that provides medical care to Kaiser Permanente members, has named Dr. Jeffrey A. Weisz as president and executive medical director.

He comes to the Northwest from Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California Region, where he was chairman of the board and executive medical director of the Southern California Permanente Medical Group (SCPMG). With more than 6,000 physicians, SCPMG provides care to 3.3 million members.

During his seven years leading the group, Kaiser Permanente Southern California earned numerous national clinical and service quality awards for breast cancer and colon cancer screening, hypertension control, fracture reduction in women and more.

"I am excited about the opportunity to lead Northwest Permanente’s outstanding group of physicians during this challenging time for health care in this country," said Weisz. "We’re not going to change healthcare in America until we change the health of America. As a health organization committed to prevention, no one is better equipped to tackle this challenge than Kaiser Permanente."

In his role as leader of the Northwest Permanente medical group, Weisz will oversee 1,100 physicians and focus the organization’s efforts on quality and performance. He will also partner with Kaiser Foundation Hospitals and Health Plan to provide members with high-quality care that is affordable, personal, and accessible. He’ll also be closely involved in the opening of the new Kaiser Permanente Westside Medical Center in Hillsboro, set to open in 2013, as well as the implementation of healthcare reform policies.

Weisz began his career with Kaiser Permanente Southern California in 1978 as a staff hematologist/oncologist at Panorama City Medical Center. He also served as an area medical director of Woodland Hills Medical Center prior to his tenure as SCPMG’s board chairman and executive medical director.

Weisz is board certified in oncology and internal medicine. He received his medical degree from Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit and completed his residency at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and a fellowship in clinical hematology/oncology at LA County-USC Medical Center.