California Hospital Association honors Sharp HealthCare leader with Award of Merit

Daniel L. Gross , DNSc, RN, Executive Vice President of Hospital Operations for Sharp HealthCare, received the Award of Merit from the California Hospital Association (CHA), at the organization's board meeting today in Newport Beach. CHA, which is dedicated to advancing the interests of California hospitals, patients and communities, gives its highest honor to a CHA member executive for outstanding contributions to the California health care community.

" Dan Gross is a unique, outstanding health care leader," said CHA President and CEO, C. Duane Dauner . "His clinical background, combined with an extraordinary combination of operations experience and involvement in local, state and national public policy make him the ideal recipient of the CHA Award of Merit, the Association's highest honor. Dan is a visionary team member and trusted advisor. All of us have benefited from our professional and personal relationships with this great health care executive."

According to CHA, the Award of Merit is awarded for contributions that have gone far beyond association activities, and is given only when the qualifications of the nominee are extraordinary. "The patients, staff, physicians and volunteers of Sharp HealthCare have been the direct beneficiary of Dan Gross 's passion and commitment to excellence for 33 years," said Mike Murphy , President and CEO of Sharp HealthCare. "This award very appropriately recognizes Dan for his extraordinary contributions, which have gone far beyond Sharp, state and local associations, and the health care industry. We are all honored to work with Dan, and we applaud CHA's recognition of his many achievements."

"While it is indeed an honor to be recognized with this award and to reflect on past accomplishments, it is imperative for health care professionals to focus on the future," said Gross. "We are at a critical juncture in an industry that truly does touch everyone's life, and we must continue to do the hard work and generate real solutions to the challenges we face as we strive to fulfill our mission to provide quality, cost-effective care for our patients."

Gross, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees of the American Hospital Association, has leadership responsibility at Sharp for four acute-care hospitals: Sharp Memorial Hospital, Sharp Grossmont Hospital, Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center and Sharp Coronado Hospital and Healthcare Center, along with three specialty hospitals: Sharp Mary Birch Hospital for Women & Newborns, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital and Sharp Vista Pacifica Hospital.

These hospitals include the largest freestanding women's hospital west of the Mississippi, the largest non-state operated behavioral health facility in California, a Level II trauma center, an active multiorgan transplant program and the largest and busiest robotic surgery program in San Diego County. Gross also oversees Sharp's Government Relations and Clinical Effectiveness departments, where he directs advocacy efforts for Sharp and the health care industry at the federal, state and local levels, and manages clinical quality and patient safety efforts across the Sharp system. The scope of Gross' responsibilities include $2.5 billion net revenue, approximately 10,000 FTEs and 2,600 medical staff members.

Gross began his career at Sharp in 1979 as a clinical nurse at Sharp Memorial Hospital. Over the years, he also served as clinical nurse IV, director of patient care services, regional director of critical care, regional director of patient care services and system vice president of clinical services. Gross' role prior to executive vice president was that of CEO of the Sharp Metropolitan Medical Campus where he had oversight of five hospitals, an outpatient surgery center, home care services and two senior centers.

Gross is past chair of the board of directors for the California Hospital Association; chair-elect, board of directors, Hospital Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties; member, board of directors for the American Heart Association, San Diego Chapter; member, Regional Policy Board 9, American Hospital Association; member, board of directors, National Foundation for Trauma Care; member, San Diego State University (SDSU) Campanile Foundation Board; member, Lumetra Board of Directors; adjunct faculty at SDSU and the University of San Diego (USD); voluntary clinical instructor, University of California San Diego (UCSD); editorial board, HERD (Health Environments Research & Design Journal); community program director, UCSD; and member, San Diego Gas & Electric Community Advisory Council.

In 1998, Gross received the Administrative Leadership Award from the Gamma Gamma chapter of Sigma Theta Tau, the Honor Society of Nursing, and the Healthcare Association of San Diego and Imperial Counties' Health Care Leadership Award. In 1999, he received the SDSU Alumnus of Distinction Award from the College of Health and Human Services, and the USD Author E. Hughes Career Achievement Award. In 2002, he was named the American Heart Association Volunteer of the Year. In 2003, he was named the Outstanding Alumnus of the Year by Independence Community College, Kansas. Gross also is the recipient of the California Health Foundation and Trust 2010 Walker-Sullivan Health Care Fellowship.

Gross received his BSN from Wichita State University and his MS in nursing administration from SDSU. He received his DNSc from USD in 1997.

SOURCE Sharp HealthCare