Lowell General Hospital President and CEO Normand E. Deschene to Chair Mass. Hospital Associa

June 20, 2011 - PRLog -- Normand E. Deschene, FACHE, President and CEO of Lowell General Hospital, has been named the 71st Chair of the Massachusetts Hospital Association Board of Trustees at MHA's Annual Meeting. He succeeds Dennis D. Keefe, CEO of Cambridge Health Alliance, who held the one-year post from June 2010.

In his inaugural speech, Deschene said that he will work to be a unifier of the hospital community in this time of intense change and increased pressure to slow healthcare costs. "Every member of MHA -- whether a hospital or the firms and individuals who support the mission of hospitals -- are involved in this field to advance the care provided to patients and their families," Deschene said.  "The core of what unites us is patient care.  That's what will keep us together; that's what we must never lose sight of."

A long-standing executive in community healthcare, Deschene has been president and CEO of Lowell General Hospital since 2003. Under his leadership, Lowell General has become the fastest growing hospital in Massachusetts, garnering numerous quality, satisfaction, and financial benchmark honors, recently achieving Magnet® designation by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a top honor for healthcare received by only 6% of hospitals in the nation.

“Lowell General Hospital has been a consistent leader in providing for the health and wellbeing of those who live and work in the area, but also for the future of healthcare itself,” remarked Margaret Palm, chair of the Board of Trustees for the hospital. “Mr. Deschene brings a combination of the broad-reaching perspective of changes in healthcare and strategies throughout the state and nation along with the knowledge of day-to-day successful operations of a community-owned healthcare organization – we are honored to have him serving us in both capacities.”

Mr. Deschene holds a master's degree in Hospital Administration from the University of Minnesota and a bachelor's degree from Providence College. A fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives, he served as a past regent for the College for the state of Massachusetts and was named the "Healthcare Executive of the Year" in 2006.