EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ORANGE COUNTY SERVICE AREA, KAISER PERMANENTE
DAY JOB: Helms Oakland-based nonprofit health enterprise with hospitals in Anaheim, Irvine, medical offices around county that serves nearly 600,000 members. Employs close to 8,000 full and part-time workers in Orange County, easily tops among OC hospitals.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Was in active planning for potential surge in COVID-19 cases nearly a month prior to OC getting its first batch of infected patients. Opened “command centers” at the local, regional and national levels to monitor changing conditions. Drive-thru testing at Anaheim hospital was among first in region.
NOTABLE: Kaiser’s emergency departments at both its medical centers have special units that are solely used for Patients Under Investigation, or PUIs. In each pod it has 12 beds for a total of 24.
QUOTABLE: “We are prepared,” Costa told Business Journal in March. “Kaiser Permanente is fortunate that we have national resources that we can call upon should we need them. Locally, we continue to monitor our supplies on a daily basis and currently have an adequate quantity to continue our healthcare delivery and protect our staff.”
FAST FACT: Part of consortium of healthcare agencies building first-of-its-kind mental health center; Be Well Orange County Regional Mental Health and Wellness Campus opening in Orange.
2020 HOBBY: “Having more time free at home has allowed me the time for reading, which has been a joy.”
