Board Appoints New CEO for KCH

James Lee (PC: Kona Community Hospital)

James “Jim” Lee has been appointed the new Regional CEO of Kona Community Hospital starting Aug. 10, the organization announced Thursday.

Lee will oversee operations and management of the 94-bed, full-service acute care hospital, which employs 540 staff members and 100 medical providers.

“Jim has a solid track record of bringing together employees and building a culture centered on patient experience and quality care,” said West Hawai‘i Region Board Chair Frank Sayre, DDS. “His leadership will be invaluable in reaching our long-term goals and vision for Kona Community Hospital and improving access to high quality, patient-focused health care in our community.”

Lee served most recently as interim hospital administrator at Kaiser Permanente Moanalua Medical Center on Oahu. Under his leadership, the hospital maintained excellent ratings related to patient satisfaction, quality and safety, including an “A” rating for Leapfrog’s Hospital Safety Grade, a five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a Stroke Gold Plus award from the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, and Healthgrades’ Outstanding Patient Experience award.

Lee spent 10 years in management consulting, first with Deloitte, then with PricewaterhouseCoopers, before focusing his career in health care administration. He served in various leadership positions at hospitals and health organizations throughout the New York region, including New York University Langone Medical Center, Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center, New York Presbyterian/Lawrence Hospital and Westchester Medical Center in New York.

Lee attended Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, where he received his bachelor’s degree in economics. He received his Master of Business Administration with a focus in health care administration and finance from Cornell University, S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management. He is an active member and former board member of the American College of Healthcare Executives, and also served as chair of the organization’s Asian Healthcare Leaders Forum. In his spare time, Lee enjoys snorkeling, playing golf, cooking and traveling with his wife and two daughters.