Thomas M. Priselac at work in his Cedars-Sinai office.
Newswise — LOS ANGELES (Jan. 31, 2024) -- Thomas M. Priselac, whose leadership over the last 30 years as Cedars-Sinai’s president and CEO significantly expanded the scope and quality of its clinical, educational, research and community benefit programs, has announced his plans to retire.
Priselac will continue to lead Cedars-Sinai until the board of directors has completed the search for his successor and that person joins Cedars-Sinai.
Under Priselac’s leadership, Cedars-Sinai developed from a well-known regional hospital into one of the nation’s highest-regarded academic health systems, broadening its services throughout the region to enable more Southern California residents to access high-quality healthcare.
Priselac also greatly expanded the institution’s focus on medical research and education, leading to many scientific advances that have benefited patients around the world, while providing training for thousands of physicians and other healthcare professionals. Throughout his tenure as president and CEO, he focused on improving the health of the region’s underserved communities, establishing hundreds of partnerships with local community organizations designed to strengthen them and those they serve.
“Tom led Cedars-Sinai through an era of incredible changes in healthcare, adapting with innovation while always staying true to our mission,” said Cedars-Sinai Health System Board Chair Larry Platt. “He has that rare ability to continually look ahead while staying true to our longstanding institutional values.”
Cedars-Sinai Medical Center Board Chair David Kaplan echoed the sentiment about Priselac’s impact.
“Tom’s ability to thoughtfully listen to and understand the perspectives of many different people is something all of us can learn from,” Kaplan said. “In every way, Tom embodies and leads Cedars-Sinai’s values and culture and has been a crucial beacon, showing us all what our institution stands for.”
Under Priselac’s leadership, Cedars-Sinai Health System expanded the reach of its care across the Los Angeles region through the acquisition of Cedars-Sinai Marina del Rey Hospital, affiliations with Torrance Memorial Health and Huntington Health in Pasadena, and joint ventures with Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center and California Rehabilitation Institute.
During Priselac’s tenure, Cedars-Sinai has grown into one of the most respected names in American healthcare, winning numerous awards and recognitions for the quality of its care, patient experience and commitment to the community. The medical center was named to the Honor Roll for the eighth consecutive year and tied for #1 in California and Los Angeles in U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Hospitals 2023-24" rankings.
“It has been the singular honor of my professional life to work alongside the dedicated staff at this amazing institution,” Priselac said. “Every day, their dedication, expertise, commitment to quality, compassion for our patients and respect for each other have been a powerful inspiration to me, leaving an indelible mark on me professionally and personally, and reinforcing the importance of Cedars-Sinai’s mission.”
Priselac began his career at Montefiore Hospital in Pittsburgh and joined Cedars-Sinai in 1979 as an assistant administrator. He served as executive vice president from 1988 to 1993 and was appointed president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in 1994. He has also served as president and CEO of Cedars-Sinai Health System since its formation in 2017.
Throughout his career, Priselac has been a leader in healthcare on the local, state and national levels. He is a past chair of the of the Association of American Medical Colleges and served as chair of the American Hospital Association. He is also a past chair of the California Hospital Association and of the Hospital Association of Southern California.
Priselac’s health policy work includes serving on the advisory board of the USC Schaeffer Center for Health Policy and Economics, the RAND Social and Economic Policy advisory board, and the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine Roundtable on Quality Care for People with Serious Illness.
Priselac’s civic engagements include serving as a member of the Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce board, the Southern California Leadership Council and the Civic Alliance. He has received numerous awards for his leadership in healthcare and his commitment to improving the health of the underserved, including the American Hospital Association’s Distinguished Service Award, the Charles R. Drew University Board of Trustees Medal of Honor, the National Center for Healthcare Leadership Healthcare Leadership Award and B’nai B’rith International’s National Healthcare Leadership Award.
Priselac holds the Warschaw/Law Endowed Chair in Healthcare Leadership at Cedars-Sinai and is also an adjunct professor at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.
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