Edmond F. Notebaert, a nationally recognized health system leader who headed the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Health System for 13 years, has been named the next President and CEO of the University of Maryland Medical System, effective September 2003. Notebaert will succeed Morton I. Rapoport, M.D., who has led the development and successful transformation of the University of Maryland Hospital into a world-class, six-hospital system over the last 20 years.
"Ed Notebaert is an exceptional leader and innovator with more than 30 years of health care management experience. He has the ideal qualifications to lead the University of Maryland Medical System into the future," says John C. Erickson, chairman of the University of Maryland Medical System Board of Directors and chairman of Erickson Retirement Communities, who headed the search committee.
Erickson explains that the announcement of a new medical system leader comes earlier than expected. "When Mort Rapoport announced his planned retirement last year, we knew it might take up to two years to find a successor of his caliber. He is among the most respected and accomplished health care executives in the country," says Erickson. "The search committee was very fortunate to find that new leader sooner than expected in Ed Notebaert."
"Ed has considerable experience and a track record of success in many areas, including multi-hospital systems, academic medical centers and physician organizations," says Erickson. "With his years of experience and keen appreciation for the challenges facing today's academic health systems and community and specialty hospitals, we believe Ed Notebaert will lead the medical system to even greater prominence. We are absolutely delighted about his decision to lead our health system," added Erickson.
"Ed understands academic medicine and the important connections between basic science research, patient care and teaching," says Donald E.Wilson, M.D., M.A.C.P., vice president for medical affairs, University of Maryland, and dean, School of Medicine. "I look forward to working in partnership with Ed to advance both of our respective institutions."
"Joining the University of Maryland Medical System is a great honor for me," says Notebaert. "We have extraordinarily talented doctors, nurses and staff. Their devotion is remarkable. I am very attracted to the diversity of the institutions within the medical system--the academic, community and specialty settings--and I want to continue to help these institutions grow and thrive. I'm delighted to be part of the University of Maryland Medical System family."
Notebaert's experience in health system development and management were key to his selection as the new President and CEO of UMMS.
When he was named President and CEO of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) in 1987, he articulated a vision for the institution that enabled it to become one of the most preeminent children's health care organizations in the world.
During his tenure, Notebaert oversaw the transformation of Children's Hospital from a small, regional inpatient facility into an internationally prominent center for pediatric health care, research and teaching. It also grew from a single hospital to a multi-site pediatric network offering inpatient and outpatient services with both primary and subspecialty programs in a tri-state area.
According to Richard D. Wood, Jr., a member of the Board of CHOP and Chairman of WaWa, Inc. Notebaert understands all aspects of hospital care, from the medical care side to customer service. "Ed is a dynamic leader, and he is highly charismatic. He has the ability to establish the right strategic priorities and to get people to support them. At CHOP, he improved patient care, teaching and research, and he was a terrific fundraiser," Wood says.
Notebaert successfully managed more than $1 billion of construction, renovation and facilities expansion, oversaw significant growth in patient volume and created successful fund-raising programs. He partnered with the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine as well as community physicians to deliver the best medical care to patients.
Also under his leadership, CHOP's research grants quadrupled to $42.5 million, a new 450,000-square-foot building housing research laboratories was constructed and filled with newly recruited scientists and 36 endowed chairs were established.
With Notebaert at the helm, CHOP'S total revenues grew faster than at many comparable medical centers around the country because it began focusing on outpatient services earlier. Under his watch, the hospital recorded more than 600,000 ambulatory visits -- six times the amount when Notebaert began at CHOP.
"Ed is an absolutely outstanding manager, a very hard worker and a good person. He is very intelligent, honest, extraordinarily organized, highly motivated and a phenomenal negotiator," says Richard M. Armstrong, Jr., chairman of the Board of Trustees at CHOP and president of Armstrong Engineering, Assoc., Inc.
Armstrong, who worked with Notebaert at CHOP for more than 10 years, adds,"He has extensive knowledge of academic health systems. You couldn't find anyone better."
Notebaert chose to retire from CHOP in 2000, saying he had accomplished his goals. Many of the changes he had envisioned for the institution when he joined it 13 years earlier had been realized. Upon his retirement, the Board of Trustees honored Notebaert's years of service by creating and personally funding the "Edmond F. Notebaert Endowed Chair in Pediatric Research" at CHOP.
Prior to his work at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Notebaert held top executive positions with The Cleveland Clinic Foundation and Hospital and developed a large multi-hospital system in the Cleveland, Ohio, area. He has served on the Boards of Trustees of many organizations, including the Council of Teaching Hospitals of the Association of American Medical Colleges, Greater Cleveland Hospitals Association, Delaware Valley Hospital Council, Urban League of Philadelphia, Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company.
A native of Tennessee, Notebaert was raised in the Midwest and served in the Marine Corps. He obtained a law degree at the Cleveland State University's Marshall College of Law and a master's degree in public health with a specialization in medical and hospital administration at the University of Pittsburgh. He completed the Program for Health Systems Management at Harvard University and received his undergraduate degree from Ohio State University in history and chemistry.
Notebaert says he will benefit from the long experience of Dr. Morton Rapoport as he makes the transition to the University of Maryland Medical System. "Dr. Rapoport has had a remarkable record of achievement and an unwavering commitment to the medical system, and I'm pleased that he will be available as an advisor," says Notebaert.
"Ed is a natural leader and a wonderful choice to guide the medical system. He has extensive knowledge of health systems, having led Children's Hospital of Philadelphia Health System through an outstanding period of growth and progress. I pledge my support to ensure a smooth transition. I am confident he will continue to build on our record of success," says Dr. Rapoport.
The University of Maryland Medical System has grown to be the fourth largest employer in the Baltimore metropolitan area. It includes the University of Maryland Medical Center, Kernan Hospital, University Specialty Hospital, Maryland General Health Systems, North Arundel Health System and Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital. The Medical System generates nearly $1.6 billion in economic activity in Maryland. It has 10,000 employees, more than 1,500 licensed beds, 65,000 annual admissions and gross patient revenues last year of $1.2 billion.
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