ARMC Names New Medical Director

Dr. Richard Pitts, whose successful career as a physician, health educator and hospital administrator spans nearly 40 years, has been named as the new medical director at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC). “We are thrilled and very fortunate to have Dr. Pitts join us as our new medical director,” said ARMC Director Patrick Petre. “His vast experience in all aspects of medicine and knowledge of very complex health care issues will be vital for ARMC as we begin to navigate health reform and other major shifts in our industry.” Dr. Pitts will take over in his new position starting Sept. 9, replacing longtime ARMC Medical Director Dr. Dev GnanaDev, who served in that post from 2000 to 2012. Dr. Emily Ebert has served as acting medical director since January. Dr. Pitts, a native of Massachusetts, previously worked at Kaiser Permanente in Anaheim from 1999 to 2011 where he served as Orange County Service Area Assistant Medical Director. From 1998 to 2011 Dr. Pitts also held the position of Chief of Occupational Medicine and Employee Health for Kaiser’s Orange County Service Area. Certified by the American Board of Emergency Medicine and American Board of Preventive Medicine, Dr. Pitts earned his doctor of osteopathic medicine from Des Moines University and his PhD degree from Walden University. As medical director at ARMC, he will be responsible for a wide range of duties, including: oversight of the delivery of medical services; development and implementation of policies and procedures in accordance with applicable laws related to medical services; monitoring of daily patient care activities; providing a clinical perspective on all matters related to medical services to the administrative team; and serving as a liaison between ARMC and the physician corporations in matters relating to the medical services they provide. ARMC’s medical services are provided by 21 private physician corporations that hold contracts with ARMC/County of San Bernardino. Those corporations compose an ARMC medical staff of nearly 400 physicians providing services in 26 specialties. Dr. Pitts joins ARMC at a critical time as he will assist in guiding the Medical Center through the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. The Individual Mandate portion of the law providing health coverage to millions of uninsured Americans will take effect January 1, 2014. “I’m excited to join the ARMC family and take on the challenges that we are facing, in particular those that reform will bring,” said Dr. Pitts, an emergency room physician since 1975 who also holds a clinical professorship at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. “This new law will result in thousands of area residents receiving health care coverage for the first time, and we must be prepared to handle the expected influx of new patients while maintaining high quality care.” Dr. Pitts believes ARMC will play a key role in the successful implementation of the Affordable Care Act and future of quality health care in the area because of its unique services and expansive teaching programs. ARMC’s teaching programs are composed of 167 resident physicians training in 11 service areas and 122 medical students. “ARMC is an amazing place, especially in terms of educating the next generation of physicians as well as its specialized services such as the burn center, trauma center and stroke center,” he said. “Taken together, these programs and services will ensure that residents of our county have a vibrant and comprehensive medical center in their community.” Dr. Pitts has been very active in organized medicine, having served as president and board member for the Orange County Medical Association. In addition, he is past president of the American Heart Association, Orange County Chapter; and serves as a volunteer physician for the American Red Cross.