Gwinette Cowan, MSN, RN
Executive Nurse Leader
Lake Forest,CA
Overview
35
35
years of professional experience
1
1
Dynamic experienced nursing leader.
Work History
Senior Director of Women's and Children's Services
Prime Healthcare, St. Francis Medical Center
06.2022 - Current
- Company Overview: Prime Healthcare is a physician-led, patient-centered health system operating 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.6 million patient visits annually
- It is one of the nation's leading health systems with nearly 50,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare
- Responsible for business development, strategy, growth, vision, quality, safety and day to day operations of the Women's and Children's Hospital which includes 90 beds of Labor and Delivery, Postpartum, Level III NICU and Pediatrics
- This is a separate hospital from the Main hospital and I am responsible for the operations of the freestanding hospital
- Created physician/manager dyad partnerships to accomplish goals that were mutually developed
- Assessed the entire hospital including the OR and the ED and, developed an action plan for the rest of 2022 with focus on priorities identified, gained corporate agreement and started the implementation of action items, like follow up on The Joint Commission Findings from prior my joining, creating a virtual consulting from CHOC specialists for our children
- Hired and developed an entire leadership team for Women's and Children's Services
- Prime Healthcare is a physician-led, patient-centered health system operating 45 hospitals and more than 300 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 2.6 million patient visits annually
- It is one of the nation's leading health systems with nearly 50,000 employees and physicians dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare
Vice President of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
NVision Eye Centers
01.2022 - 06.2022
- Company Overview: NVISION Eye Centers was founded in 1999 and is considered a leading pioneer in developing laser and cataract eye surgery into the safe, commonplace procedure it is today
- The company continues to be on the forefront by offering the latest in laser today
- NVISION has centers in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Canada
- Responsible for business development, strategy, growth, vision, quality, safety and day to day operations of the Ambulatory Centers in 5 states
- Created physician/manager dyad partnerships to accomplish goals that were mutually developed
- Assessed all sites, developed an action plan for the rest of 2022 with focus on priorities identified, gained board agreement and started the implementation of action items
- NVISION Eye Centers was founded in 1999 and is considered a leading pioneer in developing laser and cataract eye surgery into the safe, commonplace procedure it is today
- The company continues to be on the forefront by offering the latest in laser today
- NVISION has centers in California, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Arizona and Canada
Executive Director of Specialty Care
Children's Hospital of Orange County
01.2019 - 01.2022
- Company Overview: Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), is part of an integrated Children's hospital system, consisting of two medical centers and primary care and specialty clinics throughout Orange County
- Responsible for business development, strategy, growth, vision, quality, safety and day to day operations of Specialty Care Clinics and ICUs
- Created physician/manager dyad partnerships to accomplish goals that were mutually developed
- Developing 5 additional Ambulatory Care Sites
- Created a nimble operating model to learn about and respond to Covid 19 needs in our care environments
- Redesigned the Patient Access Center in 3 phases for increase in efficiencies and customer outcomes
- LEAN implementation and taught LEAN thinking for problem solving and daily management of metrics and course corrections
- Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), is part of an integrated Children's hospital system, consisting of two medical centers and primary care and specialty clinics throughout Orange County
Executive Director of Primary Care
University of California San Francisco Health
01.2018 - 01.2019
- Company Overview: University of California San Francisco Health (UCSF Health), is part of the 10-campus University of California Health System, consisting of three medical centers, a children's hospital and primary care and specialty clinics throughout Northern California
- Responsible for business development, strategy, growth, vision, quality, safety and day to day operations of 13 Primary Care Clinics and 3 Urgent Care Sites
- Reports to the Vice President, Ambulatory Services, with oversight of 6 direct with 450 FTEs supporting almost 200 physicians
- Responsible for $4.5 million budget not including money from San Francisco Health Plan (SFHP)
- Partnered with physician dyad partners to accomplish goals that were mutually developed
- Started 2 additional Urgent Care Sites
- All 13 sites met 8 quality goals set by SFHP for a payment of $1.2 million dollars in 2018
- Developed model cell clinic for LEAN implementation and model for all the other UCSF sites
- Developed two new buildings for clinic sites as well as remodeled two floors for LEAN model cell clinic
- Managed quality projects with peers from UCLA, UC Davis and UCI each year
- Managed to maintain quality care during nursing strikes
- University of California San Francisco Health (UCSF Health), is part of the 10-campus University of California Health System, consisting of three medical centers, a children's hospital and primary care and specialty clinics throughout Northern California
Senior Director
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
01.2007 - 01.2018
- Company Overview: Palo Alto Medical Foundation, part of the Sutter Health Network, is a not-for-profit organization providing health care to community members across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties
- Served as the Senior Director for 4 sites and 23 specialties across the San Francisco Bay Area
- Oversight of 7 direct and 300 FTEs supporting 120 physicians
- Responsible for a budget of $26 million not including San Carlos building project
- Lead Director for Women's Service Line and Orthopedics Service lines
- Supported Pediatric service line at San Carlos and increasing pediatric knowledge in the urgent care
- Designed and built 200,000 sq
- Ft
- San Carlos Multi-Specialty Clinic with 4 ORs and 1 urgent care as new build for Palo Alto Medical Foundation
- Surpassed RVU goal per staff and MD FTES of 2000 rvus
- Met the business plan 7th year goal for San Carlos in 3.5 years
- Partnered with multiple community organizations to meet mutually beneficial goals
- Partnered with Sutter infusion clinics to support ectopic pregnancy patients for methotrexate treatment instead of sending the patient to the ER due to new USP 800 standards
- Part of the executive team to negotiate union contracts including developing positive working relationships with staff as well as communicating outcomes of negotiations to executives and peers
- Worked with the business strategy team to develop growth plans and worked with new acquisitions and new builds as planned
- Implemented LEAN model thinking and workspace solutions
- Palo Alto Medical Foundation, part of the Sutter Health Network, is a not-for-profit organization providing health care to community members across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties
Manager of Clinical Interventional Programs
Kaiser Permanente Redwood City
01.2004 - 01.2006
- Company Overview: Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium providing health care to community members across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties
- Served to develop the interventional programs for Neurosurgery, Cardiology and Venous access laboratories from the ground up
- Became the Center of Excellence for the SF Bay area in Interventional Neuroradiology starting in 2005
- Changed the quality of nursing staff in 10 months time to a fluent, competent staff in the OR and interventional suite
- Improved the budget from losing an average of $13,000 per case to positive income of $82,000 per case
- Passed a surprise state inspection with flying colors
- Created a nurse led superior venous access team for the hospital that had a positive budget
- Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium providing health care to community members across Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties
Patient Care Manager
UCSF/Benioff Children's Hospital
01.2003 - 01.2004
- Company Overview: UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital is not for profit children's health system providing health care to children and families in Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties
- Best Children's Hospital 2015 by US News
- Served as the leader for Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU and Pediatric Interventional Cardiology
- Changed units experience of work survey results for nursing staff from 68% to 92% engaged
- Developed a New graduate program for nursing staff that was 18 months didactic with clinic experience for new registered nurse graduates
- Improved the budget from negative to positive in the 2004 fiscal year
- Set up gala with Gavin Newsom and Kim Newsom for Children's services fund raiser
- Raising over $3 million
- Improved quality in the PCVICU by employing Clinical Nurse Specialists to oversee the care of each child in the 24 bed unit
- Supported this team after the demerger from Stanford (Lucile Packard Children's Hospital)
- UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital is not for profit children's health system providing health care to children and families in Alameda, San Mateo, Santa Clara, San Francisco and Santa Cruz counties
- Best Children's Hospital 2015 by US News
Patient Care Manager
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
01.2002 - 01.2003
- Company Overview: Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is largest not for profit children's health system affiliated with Stanford Health Care providing healthcare to children and families in Northern California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon and other countries as needed
- Served as Patient Care manager for the Pediatric ICU and Pediatric Critical Care Transport
- Supported the team after the demerger from UCSF
- Changed morale with the team
- Experience of work scores went from 46% engaged to 88% engaged
- Developed the new graduate program with clinic nurse specialists for a 14 month didactic and clinical experience for the new graduate registered nurse
- Passed JCAHO inspection with flying colors; no recommendations
- Implemented Family centered care rounding
- Divided and grew from 24 PICU beds to 50 beds and separated 24 beds for Pediatric Cardiovascular ICU, with the onboarding of two world renowned Pediatric Cardiovascular Surgeons
- Brought the ECMO/ECLS program for pediatrics and adults to PICU from the NICU and increased the number of patients from 2 to 4 at one time
- Quality improvement project with critical care transport team to decrease nausea when in flight with non-medicinal methods
- Financial savings created by having critical care transport team work on the PICU floor when not out on transport
- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital is largest not for profit children's health system affiliated with Stanford Health Care providing healthcare to children and families in Northern California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Oregon and other countries as needed
Regional Director Women's and Children's Services
Fairview University Medical Center and Health System
01.1996 - 01.2002
- Company Overview: Fairview University Health System is an integrated academic not for profit health system serving all of Minnesota and surrounding states
- As the director of the service line; Women's and Children's Services included: 8 clinics, 2 hospitals and 2 homecare agencies for Women's and Children's Services
- In patient units included: L&D, Breast oncology, Post-partum, NICU, PICU, Bone Marrow Transplant (both pediatric and adults), Oncology, ENT, Cystic Fibrosis, Pulmonology, orthopedics, transplant, infection disease, eating disorders, immunology services, rheumatology, endocrinology and general surgery
- Greater than 200 staff with 80 + doctors worked under these services
- Lead Director for electronic medical record implementation for the entire health system
- Created an evening nurse call center for oncology patients both pediatric and adult
- Acquired and acclimated one pediatric clinic, one Women's Health Clinic and a Family practice clinic that did OB
- Managed the merger with Fairview and University of Minnesota
- Union and non-union environments merged
- Developed the infrastructure for Women's and Children's service by creating 14 manager positions to support the above services
- Improved experience of work scores from 82% engagement across all of the units to 97% across units
- Successfully cut the budget by 5-7% year over year
- Fairview University Health System is an integrated academic not for profit health system serving all of Minnesota and surrounding states
Charge Nurse
01.1995 - 01.1996
Clinical Manager for Ambulatory Care
01.1990 - 01.1996
Nurse
01.1992 - 01.1995
Director of Medical Programs
01.1991 - 01.1992
Education
MSN/MBA - Executive Leadership
Benedictine University
Lisle, IL01.2018
BSN -
University of Phoenix
01.2004
AAAS - Nursing & Biochemistry
University of Washington-Shoreline
Shoreline, WA01.1995
A.S. - Practical Nursing
Willmar Community College
Willmar, MN01.1989
Medical Assistant -
Apollo College
01.1987
Affiliationsandawards
- American Association of Critical Care Nursing
- American Nurses Association
- American Organization of Nurse Executives
- Association of Women's Health, Obstetric & Neonatal Nurses
- Medical Group Management Association
- Sigma Theta Tau Member of the Board Nurse Development
- Society of Pediatric Nurses
- "Leader of Excellence" award from Fairview Health System
- United States Congressional National Award "Moving our Youth on Up", 2007
- National Dean's List 27th Honorary Award
- Sigma Theta Tau Scholarship for "Vision in Nursing Leadership", 2002
- Nurse of the Year, 1994 & 1995
Degrees
- MSN/MBA, Executive Leadership, 2018, Benedictine University, Lisle, IL
- BSN, 2004, University of Phoenix
- AAAS, Nursing & Biochemistry, 1995, University of Washington-Shoreline, Shoreline, WA
- A.S., Practical Nursing, 1989, Willmar Community College, Willmar, MN
- Medical Assistant, 1987, Apollo College
Timeline
Senior Director of Women's and Children's Services
Prime Healthcare, St. Francis Medical Center
06.2022 - Current
Vice President of Ambulatory Surgery Centers
NVision Eye Centers
01.2022 - 06.2022
Executive Director of Specialty Care
Children's Hospital of Orange County
01.2019 - 01.2022
Executive Director of Primary Care
University of California San Francisco Health
01.2018 - 01.2019
Senior Director
Palo Alto Medical Foundation
01.2007 - 01.2018
Manager of Clinical Interventional Programs
Kaiser Permanente Redwood City
01.2004 - 01.2006
Patient Care Manager
UCSF/Benioff Children's Hospital
01.2003 - 01.2004
Patient Care Manager
Lucile Packard Children's Hospital
01.2002 - 01.2003
Regional Director Women's and Children's Services
Fairview University Medical Center and Health System
01.1996 - 01.2002
Charge Nurse
01.1995 - 01.1996
Nurse
01.1992 - 01.1995
Director of Medical Programs
01.1991 - 01.1992
Clinical Manager for Ambulatory Care
01.1990 - 01.1996
MSN/MBA - Executive Leadership
Benedictine University
BSN -
University of Phoenix
AAAS - Nursing & Biochemistry
University of Washington-Shoreline
A.S. - Practical Nursing
Willmar Community College
Medical Assistant -
Apollo College
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