Henry Ford Health System Appoints CEO for New West Bloomfield Hospital
March 30, 2006
Henry Ford Health System Appoints CEO for New West Bloomfield Hospital
DETROIT- Henry Ford Health System announced today that it has appointed Gerard van Grinsven, vice president and area general manager for The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, as the president and chief executive officer of the 300-bed, $310 million Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital.
Van Grinsven will join Henry Ford in June.
“Gerard van Grinsven comes to us with a very unique set of talents and skills that are aligned with our vision for Henry Ford Health System and our West Bloomfield Hospital,” says Nancy Schlichting, president and CEO of Henry Ford Health System.
“What we believe will set us apart, and what patients deserve, is to receive the highest standard of care for themselves and their families,” says Schlichting. “Our long-term vision is to be known for service excellence both inside and outside our industry.
“To achieve that, we knew we needed to bring into our organization someone who would bring that kind of passion for service to Henry Ford Health System – someone who would help us to become known as “The Ritz-Carlton” of health care,” says Schlichting.
Van Grinsven, 45, who has more than 24 years of global experience in luxury hospitality industry, is currently responsible for the day-to-day operation of the 308-room Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Dearborn. He also serves as vice president and area general manager of The Ritz-Carlton hotels in Cleveland, St. Louis and Philadelphia.
“I am delighted to bring my expertise in service excellence not only to Henry Ford West Bloomfield, but to the entire health system,” says van Grinsven. “Over the past few years, I have worked with Henry Ford as it has taken The Ritz-Carlton concepts and applied them to hiring and training of its team members. The commitment to making Henry Ford The Ritz-Carlton of health care is truly there, and I am eager to begin contributing to the team’s goals.”
At The Ritz-Carlton, Dearborn, van Grinsven developed The Ritz-Carlton Re-Born Program, which resulted in moving the hotel into the top 10 for guest and employee satisfaction within one year of its launch. This initiative was named the winner of the Detroit Regional Chamber’s Best Practice Award and was benchmarked and utilized in other Ritz-Carlton properties worldwide.
Prior to his time in Dearborn, van Grinsven was a member of the corporate team of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company as vice president of Food and Beverage and vice president of Openings. In this period, he successfully opened 20 Ritz-Carlton hotels worldwide. In addition, he was a key member of the team responsible for the company winning the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award in 1999.
The Ritz-Carlton philosophy of service has already been introduced at Henry Ford. It was applied to recruit and train staff at Henry Ford Medical Center - Harbortown and Henry Ford Medical Center - New Center One in Detroit.
“The opening of the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital in July 2008 is the perfect opportunity for me to build an unparalleled, exceptional patient experience for those who come to Henry Ford for care,” says van Grinsven.
Van Grinsven has served as a former board member of the Western Wayne/Downriver board of Henry Ford Health System and also serves on the board of the Detroit Regional Chamber. He is a resident of Farmington Hills.
“Our goal is to offer first-class service to match our world-class medical care,” says Robert Riney, senior vice president and chief operating officer for Henry Ford Health System.
“Patients want a totally positive experience and it’s our goal to provide the same level of care and service to patients no matter where in the health system they receive medical services.”
The new hospital will offer the best and latest in medical care and technology in patient-centered and environmentally friendly surroundings, including:
● All 300 beds will be in private rooms, overlooking a pond and landscaped courtyards, presenting a calm, healing environment. In addition, each room will have a bed for a family member to spend the night.
● Called “smart rooms,” each patient room will be fitted with a flat panel television where patients can access patient education shows related to their particular illness. All patients will have Internet access. In addition, computerized patient information systems will be located by each bedside, each staff station outside patient rooms, as well as at a central control station.
● Noise will be reduced by eliminating overhead paging. All health care professionals will carry special wireless phones to communicate.
● Upon arrival at the hospital, patients will go directly to their pre-assigned rooms.
