Adventist Health Central Coast names new president
The Adventist Health Central Coast Service Area, which includes two recently purchased hospitals in San Luis Obispo County, has a new president.
Ryan Ashlock currently serves as the president of Adventist Health Castle in Kailua, Hawai’i.
Ashlock’s appointment to his new position was announced April 22. He starts June 9.
Kerry Heinrich, president and CEO of nonprofit, faith-based Adventist Health, headquartered in Roseville, said Ashlock has consistently demonstrated extraordinary leadership and dedication to the job.
“Ryan’s ability to drive performance, while maintaining a focus on team development and patient satisfaction, has been instrumental in his success,” Heinrich said in a press release.
“His strategic vision and operational expertise will be invaluable as he steps into this new role on the coast,” he said.
Ashlock said in the release that his new duties present “a unique opportunity for Adventist Health, as we establish our presence on the Central Coast.
“I look forward to joining the Adventist Health Central Coast Service Area and working alongside the incredible physicians, providers, and staff,” he said.
Adventist Health bought Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo and Twin Cities Community Hospital in Templeton for $550 million in February from for-profit Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare.
The purchase also included two imaging centers and 11 primary care and specialty clinics.
The hospitals are now known as Adventist Health Sierra Vista and Adventist Health Twin Cities.
Under Ashlock’s leadership at Adventist Health Castle, the organization expanded its physicians and providers tenfold, invested $62 million in capital and care and increased revenue by 35%, the nonprofit said.
Ashlock also created Adventist Health Castle’s philanthropy program, which generated $3 million in two years to support primary care, oncology, and workforce development, according to the release.
Prior to his role at Adventist Health Castle, Ashlock was the finance officer at Adventist Health Feather River in Paradise, Calif., and the executive in charge during the Camp Fire evacuation, restoration, and recovery efforts.
Eleze Armstrong will serve as the operations executive of the Adventist Health Central Coast Service Area and continue as president of Adventist Health Twin Cities.
“I am delighted that Ryan will lead our teams here on the Central Coast,” she said.
“Ryan’s energy, experience, and approach to empowering team members are a perfect fit for growing Adventist Health as a vibrant part of our communities,” Armstrong said.
The hospitals and other facilities bought in February formally joined Adventist effective March 29.
They became part of the nonprofit’s integrated health system serving more than 100 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii with over 440 sites of care, including some 30 acute care facilities.
Adventist, which has donated generously to communities throughout the state, is expected to also do so in San Luis Obispo County, now that it has acquired the two hospitals.
In 2022, Adventist provided more than $1 billion across its network in Medicare, Medicaid, subsidized health services, charity care, education and research, and community health improvement, according to its website.
Company spokesman Japhet De Oliveira said that as a nonprofit, Adventist evaluates the availability of property tax exemptions as part of its acquisitions.
Nonprofits in general aren’t required to pay property taxes.
Jim Hamilton, San Luis Obispo’s auditor-controller-treasurer-tax collector, said that if the two Adventist hospitals are exempted, it wouldn’t have a significant impact on the county’s budget.
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