Kaiser Permanente Physicians Choose Medical Director

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.