INDIANAPOLIS – Ora H. Pescovitz, MD – president and CEO, Riley Hospital for Children; associate dean of Research Affairs and interim vice president of Research Administration, Indiana University School of Medicine; and pediatric endocrinologist – was named among the ‘Top 25 Women in Healthcare (2009)’ by Modern Healthcare magazine.
The ‘Top 25 Women in Healthcare’ recognition program honors female healthcare executives who make a positive difference in the industry through their leadership roles and recognizes executives from all sectors of the industry including hospitals, health systems, physician organizations, insurance, government, vendors and suppliers, trade and professional organizations, and patients’ rights groups.
Each candidate was judged on the following five criteria:
Successfully served as a leader or managed an organization or company; Shown the ability or power to effect change in the healthcare industry; Demonstrated a willingness to share expertise with others in the field; Served as a role model or mentor to other female healthcare executives; and Assumed a leadership position in the industry outside of the candidate’s own organization or company.
“Ora is very deserving of this recognition. Her leadership has been instrumental in Riley Hospital for Children being recognized as one of the nation’s top children’s hospitals,” said Dan Evans, Clarian Health president and CEO. “She has served as a mentor, role model and inspiration to her patients, staff, colleagues and the community. She will truly be missed by all.”
Beginning May 11, Dr. Pescovitz will assume the top leadership position at the University of Michigan Health System – CEO of the U-M Health System and executive vice president for Medical Affairs at Michigan.
About Ora H. Pescovitz, MD
Dr. Pescovitz is a nationally recognized expert in disorders of growth and puberty with nearly 180 research manuscripts and books published. She is the Edwin Letzter Professor of Pediatrics and served as the director of pediatric endocrinology and diabetology at IU School of Medicine and Riley Hospital between 1990-2004. She has served as president of the Society for Pediatric Research, the nation’s largest pediatric research organization, and president of the Lawson Wilkins (North American) Pediatric Endocrine Society.
As research executive associate dean at the IU School of Medicine, Dr. Pescovitz also administered the Indiana Genomics Initiative (INGEN), which was funded by $155 million in grants from the Lilly Endowment. INGEN laid the foundation for the next generation of IU research building on the discoveries of the Human Genome Project and helped jump-start the state’s life sciences economic development efforts. She also contributed to the creation of the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, a statewide collaboration of university scientists, business and government to translate the discoveries of basic science into improved health care for patients.
She has served on several early BioCrossroads task forces, the initial selection support committee for the Indianapolis Zoo Prize, the Dean’s Advisory Board of the Herron School of Art, the Board of the Borns Jewish Studies Program at Indiana University, the Board of Congregation Beth-El Zedeck, the Board of Clarian North Hospital, and the Central Indiana United Way Board, where she is also a member of its Executive Committee.
