Long-time IU administrator named CEO of Riley Hospital for Children

IU School of Medicine Dean of Research Ora H. Pescovitz has been named as the president and chief executive officer of the Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis. Pescovitz has worked with both the University and Riley as a pediatrican for 16 years. \nPescovitz said she is looking forward to taking on the duties of CEO at such a prestigious children's hospital and is enthusiastic about juggling her new duties with her current position of Dean of the School of Medicine. \n"I'm very excited. It's really a dream job for me," Pescovitz said. "It's also the opportunity to work with two wonderful jobs, as I will continue as dean of the IU School of Medicine."\nWhile working two highly prestigious and challenging jobs might not sound like a paradise to the average person, Pescovitz is looking forward to the chance to bring the School of Medicine and Riley Hospital closer together. \n"It's definitely more challenging. However, both jobs are extremely consistent with each other," Pescovitz said. "While I am working with both the Riley Hospital and the University, I will be able to better align the school's mission and the hospital's mission, which would be extremely beneficial to both parties."\nIU School of Medicine Dean D. Craig Brater said both the University and Riley have tailored Pescovitz's positions in order to give her time to do the best possible job in both of her positions. \n"One of the keys is that with Riley, there will be a chief operations officer, or COO, who will do the heavy lifting that will give her meaningful time to do her job with the University," Brater said. "We tailored the position so (the University) would not lose her skill set."\nRichard L. Schreiner, M.D., physician-in-chief of Riley Hospital, said he trusts Pescovitz with the reins of the hospital because she possesses a great amount of expertise in a number of areas.\n"Ora possesses amazing abilities in all areas of medicine -- patient care, teaching, research, administration and advocacy," Schreiner said in a press release. "She is visionary and passionate about all that is important in health care and academic medicine, especially in all that relate to the health of our children. This appointment is the perfect prescription for great things at Riley Hospital for Children, Clarian Health Partners, Indiana University School of Medicine and the well-being of children."\nBrater echoed Schreiner's sentiments, highlighting both her medicinal expertise and her personality as excellent prerequisites for the position. \n"She takes care of children with endocrinology problems, and her patients think very highly of her," Brater said. "I don't think there's any question that she's a skilled doctor." \nPescovitz has high goals for her new CEO position, including bringing Riley into the national spotlight as a forerunner in pediatric care. \n"My main goal is to gain Riley recognition as one of the best children's hospitals in the country," Pescovitz said. "We are currently the best in Indiana, but we want to become one of the leaders amongst national children's hospitals."\n-- Contact staff writer Dan Patrick at djpatric@indiana.edu.