Medina hospital CEO no longer interim

Horvath makes commitment to Orleans Community Health

Photos by Tom Rivers – Dolores Horvath, CEO of Orleans Community Health, checks some of the merchandise up for bid at Saturday’ night’s Treasure Island fund-raiser for OCH. On Monday, the OCH board of directors named Horvath the chief executive officer, removing interim from her title.

MEDINA – Three months ago Dolores Horvath arrived in Medina for what she thought would be a six-month job, helping Orleans Community Health find a permanent CEO for a healthcare organization that includes a hospital, a health care facility in Albion and other outpatient sites.

Horvath impressed the board of directors at OCH, and the community won her over. She is staying, and not just as the interim leader of the OCH. On Monday the board of directors appointed her chief executive officer.

Horvath would like to serve in the position for five years. She is looking for a house in Medina.

‘This is a wonderful little town,” she said Saturday at the hospital system’s Treasure Island fund-raiser. “You have a committed board and a community that supports you. There are staff that have worked here for 40 years. You just don’t see that kind of commitment too often.”

The Treasure Island event was another demonstration of the community support for the hospital. About 275 people attended the event at the Sacred Heart Club. Numerous businesses and residents donated items to be sold. The event typically raises about $50,000 for Orleans Community Health.

Greg Canham weighs a bid on some of the items at the 20th annual Treasure Island fund-raiser to benefit Orleans Communtiy Heath.

Horvath will remain an employee with HealthTech Management Services, a firm hired to manage OCH in June. That contract was for an initial three-year deal.

On Monday, the OCH board decided it wanted to retain Horvath through HealthTech.

“She has addressed a lot of issues and we’re moving in a positive direction,” said Bruce Krenning, president of the OCH board. “She has a lot of experience and she fits what we’re trying to do.”

Horvath has already led a complete assessment of OCH’s operations and finances. She said this is a tumultuous time in health care with a new federal health care law taking effect and many smaller hospitals struggling to stay open. Lakeside Memorial Hospital in Brockport shut down in April, for example.

Krenning said Medina Memorial Hospital isn’t closing.

Horvath said the organization needs to position itself towards more outpatient services. She will be working to recruit more primary care physicians. She said the organization needs to expand its services and will likely need a capital plan to upgrade some of the facilities.

Bruce Krenning, president of the board of directors for OCH, attended the Treasure Island fund-raiser on Saturday. Tammi Pritchard, administrative assistant for CEO Dolores Horvath, volunteered at the event, helping people pick bottles of wine.

“We haven’t decided on that yet,” she said.

Horvath said the organization wants to be known as the preferred health care provider for the entire county. Other outside healthcare organizations also are pushing for Orleans County residents as patients. The former Brockport hospital is now known as Strong West. Strong Memorial Hospital and the University of Rochester Medical Center are running that site and they are advertising in Orleans County.

Horvath said Orleans Community Health is the only health care organization whose sole mission is primarily targeted to Orleans County residents. (The organization also serves patients in Genesee and eastern Niagara counties.)

“We are focused on Orleans County,” she said.