Dr. Clifton R. Lacy Named to Lead Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Thursday, December 02, 2004

NEW BRUNSWICK – New Jersey Health and Senior Services Commissioner Clifton R. Lacy, M.D. has been selected by the Board of Directors of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) to lead the hospital as president and chief executive officer. Dr. Lacy succeeds Harvey Holzberg, who is retiring from the hospital.

Before becoming Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services in 2002, Dr. Lacy, a cardiologist, was senior vice president for medical affairs and chief of staff at RWJUH, as well as associate professor and chief of the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases and Hypertension at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

“Cliff Lacy is a talented physician, educator, researcher and administrator, and we are delighted to welcome him back as president and CEO,” said James Knickman, Ph.D., chairman of the RWJUH Board of Directors.

“It is a privilege and an honor to be selected to lead Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. I look forward to working with the hospital’s dedicated employees and outstanding health professionals,” said Dr. Lacy. “Under the leadership of Harvey Holzberg and the Board of Directors, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital has emerged as a premiere academic medical center recognized for excellence in health care. My goal is to take the hospital to the next level – to world-class status – through leading edge technology, scientifically advanced technique, and the best clinical talent.”

Dr. Lacy is expected to join the hospital in January.

The naming of Lacy concludes a period of succession planning that started two years ago, when the Board of Directors first began discussing the eventual retirement of Holzberg, the hospital’s long-time president and CEO. That advanced planning made for a smooth and abbreviated search process, which was guided by a national search firm. Knickman said Dr. Lacy was the Board’s unanimous choice.

“Dr. Lacy knows first-hand the needs of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and its culture. His experience as Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, coupled with his experience here, make him a logical successor to Harvey Holzberg and the right person to guide us as we continue to meet the health needs of the people of New Jersey,” Dr. Knickman said.

Holzberg, who led RWJUH for 15 years, will continue to serve as president and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Health System, the parent organization of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Hamilton, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Rahway and Children’s Specialized Hospital in Mountainside.

Holzberg will also remain chairman of the Board of Directors of the Robert Wood Johnson Health Network, a clinically-affiliated network of medical institutions that includes eight hospitals, UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, four Federally Qualified Health Centers and a network of long-term care facilities. In November, Holzberg also began serving as national chairman of the Council of Teaching Hospitals within the Association of American Medical Colleges.

“I applaud the Board’s selection,” Holzberg said. “Dr. Lacy has had extensive leadership and administrative experience as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and as director of medical affairs of New Jersey's premier academic health center. He is the ideal choice to lead this hospital into the future.”

As Commissioner of Health and Senior Services, Dr. Lacy has been characterized as a dynamic leader and visionary whose efforts have brought New Jersey to the leading edge nationally in health care quality and patient safety, scientific research, and preparedness for the health-related consequences of terrorism.

Dr. Lacy earned his M.D. degree from UMDNJ-Rutgers Medical School, now UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, where he also completed a residency in internal medicine, was chief resident in internal medicine, and completed a fellowship in cardiovascular diseases.

Dr. Lacy is board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular diseases. He is a member of the Alpha Omega Alpha Medical Honor Society, a fellow of the American College of Cardiology, and a fellow of the American College of Physicians. He is a recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey and an inductee into the Rutgers University Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

He has been listed as one of the Best Doctors in America. His clinical practice has attracted subspecialty patient referrals from throughout New Jersey, the United States, and internationally.

Dr. Lacy has also received numerous awards as a professor at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. He has been an active researcher in national and international clinical trials and is widely published in the medical literature.

He has served on national, regional, and local clinical and scientific committees and advisory boards including those of the National Institutes of Health, the American College of Cardiology, and the American Heart Association.

About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital

Selected as one of three hospitals nationwide to offer the world's first self-contained implantable artificial heart and named by Solucient as one of America’s top 15 teaching hospitals, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a 600-bed academic medical center and the principal hospital of UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ.

Robert Wood Johnson is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care in medicine. Its Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care and women's and children's care including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. The hospital is also a Level 1 Trauma Center and serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

The hospital has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital was ranked number 26 in the nation for heart care according to U.S.News & World Report’s 2007 ranking of “America’s Best Hospitals,” as well as best in the state for Respiratory Disorders (#26) and Urology (#50), and among the nation’s best for Geriatrics (#40). The American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer has rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital among the nation's best comprehensive cancer centers. The Leapfrog Group rated Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the 50 exceptional U.S. hospitals, as published in Consumers Digest magazine. Harvard University researchers, in a study commissioned by The Commonwealth Fund, identified Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital as one of the top 10 hospitals in the nation for clinical quality. Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is also a recipient of the prestigious Magnet Award for Nursing Excellence for 10 consecutive years.

Attention members of the media: For more information on this release, please contact the Department of Public Relations (732) 937-8521.


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