Swedish Medical Center Names Anthony A. Armada Chief Executive Officer

SEATTLE, Oct. 2, 2013 – Swedish Health Services announced today that, after a national search, it has named Anthony (Tony) A. Armada as its new Chief Executive Officer, beginning Nov. 1, 2013.

Armada currently serves as President of Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, an academic and research hospital that operates the only Level I trauma center in the northwest Chicago region. The hospital is part of Advocate Health Care, the largest health provider in Illinois and one of the nation’s top health systems.

Prior to joining Advocate, Armada served as president and chief executive officer of the Henry Ford Hospital and Health Network in Detroit, Mich. from 2004-2009. Armada also served as senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Permanente’s Metropolitan Los Angeles Service Area in California from 2000-2004. 

Throughout Armada’s career, he has exhibited a track record of outstanding employee engagement, maximizing patient satisfaction, improving access to care and achieving challenging financial goals.

“Our goal was to identify and recruit a visionary leader for Swedish as we continue to sustain and enhance our mission of improving the health and well-being of each person we serve,” said Dr. Nancy Auer, Swedish Community Board Chair. “Tony Armada brings an impressive record of leading large, diverse and innovative health care systems focused on patient safety and care quality."

Armada succeeds Swedish Interim CEO Marcel Loh, who was named to his role in April 2013 following the departure of Swedish CEO Kevin Brown, who was named chief executive of Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta.

Armada will lead Swedish during a continued period of significant change in health care. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act is expected to generate new patient populations for Swedish and other hospitals to serve, while the industry shifts toward a greater emphasis on helping patients maintain good health while minimizing hospital admissions.

Armada is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) and past Chairman of the American Hospital Association’s Institute for Diversity in Healthcare Management Board of Directors. In 2007, he was appointed the inaugural chairman of the Asian Healthcare Leaders Association. In 2012, he was appointed President of the Healthcare Executive Study Society.

“Tony brings with him a passion for the mission, vision and values of Swedish and Providence, as well as a commitment to providing the highest quality care to all who seek our services,” said Mike Butler, president of operations and services at Providence Health & Services. “We are proud to welcome Tony to Swedish and Providence.”