Sunny Bhatia, MD, has been appointed the first president of Ontario, Calif.-based Prime Healthcare, which comprises 44 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations across 14 states.
The appointment comes shortly after Prime signed an asset purchase agreement to acquire nine hospitals and several other care sites in Illinois from St. Louis-based Ascension. Dr. Bhatia was instrumental in this proposed deal, which would increase the number of hospitals in Prime's portfolio to 53. It is expected to close in the first quarter of 2025.
"With this historic transaction, Prime Healthcare's Midwest region will become one of the largest in the system," Dr. Bhatia told Becker's. "This transaction is unique in that it provides scale and therefore opportunity to create significant benefit to communities, patients and Illinois."
Dr. Bhatia, an interventional cardiologist, joined Prime in 2011 as chief medical officer of Sherman Oaks Hospital and Encino Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles. In 2016, Dr. Bhatia was promoted to corporate CMO, then CEO of the health system's west coast region.
In addition to his responsibilities as Prime president, Dr. Bhatia will also maintain his position as corporate CMO and CEO of the West Coast region, which includes 16 hospitals in California and Nevada.
Prem Reddy, MD, who founded Prime in 2001, will continue his role as chair and CEO of the health system.
"Dr. Bhatia's visionary leadership and deep commitment to serving patients and communities has led Prime Healthcare to continually innovate and earn accolades for clinically excellent care," Dr. Reddy said in a Sept. 3 news release. "Dr. Bhatia’s clinical, operational and financial judgment, strategic growth expertise and excellent partnerships with physicians will unify and strengthen the mission of Prime as we continue to grow and transform community healthcare."
Dr. Bhatia also has a master of medical management from the USC Marshall School of Business in Los Angeles and serves as associate professor of medical education at the California University of Science and Medicine in Colton.