Michael Israel has served as president and CEO of Westchester Medical Center Health Network, a 1,500-bed regional medical system headquartered in Valhalla, N.Y., since August 2005. WMCHealth was previously known as Westchester Medical Center.
When Mr. Israel took the job at WMCHealth, he helped turn a financially challenged county hospital into a thriving corporation health system. Under his watch, WMCHealth has experienced 10 years of profitability, a major growth in services, bond rating improvement, an overhaul of its facilities and development of a system strategic plan.
Now, the system has a workforce of 10,000 and a $3 billion economic regional contribution.
Prior to orchestrating the turnaround at WMCHealth, Mr. Israel was the COO of Great Neck, N.Y.-based Long Island Jewish Health System, where he oversaw the operational performance of 18 hospitals within the system. He has also held leadership positions with Duke University, including serving as CEO of Duke University Hospital in Durham, N.C.
Outside of leading WMCHealth, Mr. Israel serves on the boards of several organizations, including New York Medical College, the Greater New York Hospital Association, Yale University School of Public Health Leadership Council and the Westchester County Association.
Mr. Israel earned a master's of public health in hospital administration from Yale University, and attended Rutgers College to earn a bachelor's degree in business administration. He is a fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives.