Doylestown Hospital CEO to Retire

Richard Reif has shepherded Doylestown Hospital through periods of great expansion during a time of turmoil in the healthcare industry, but always with one thought in mind: the patient comes first.

He said it himself, repeatedly, and he hired doctors, nurses, staff and adminstrators who shared that goal.

I saw that firsthand when I was a patient at the hospital myself in 2006.

I had just given birth to my daughter and was standing over her tiny incubator in the NICU when the nurse tapped me on the shoulder and pointed toward the window.

"I think someone wants your attention," she said.

I turned, and there was the hospital CEO waving through the window at me. He had heard my daughter had been born prematurely and wanted to make sure we were doing ok.

I had gotten to know Reif through years of reporting on the hospital and health issues. Now, one could argue that the hospital CEO was just trying to schmooze a reporter for good press. But I honestly felt like Reif would have stopped by with a smile regardless of all that. Besides, it's awkward to schooze in a hospital gown.

On Wednesday, the hospital board announced that Reif will be retiring at the end of this year.

He was unavailable for interviews Wednesday, but since he's not leaving until the end of the year, plenty of time remains to pin him down for a retrospective look at his career.

Meanwhile, the hospital's board of directors said that they had accepted his retirement announcement "with heartfelt appreciation of his leadership and warmest wishes for his future," according to Carolyn Della-Rodolfa, chairman of the board.

"We will miss him dearly, but his legacy continues in an organization that remains focused on his drive to improve quality and provide access and value to all who seek healthcare in our community," she said in a statement.

Under Reif's 23-year tenure, the hospital expanded exponentially, adding a new Emergency Department and private rooms, acquiring the Pine Run Community, building the Health & Wellness Center in Warrington and greatly expanding heart care and cancer treatment.

A new MossRehab inpatient facility will open on June 27 and an outpatient wound care center on July 2 of this year.

In recent years, the hospital has garnered some prestigious recognition.

Thomson Reuters named Doylestown Hospital one of the 100 best hospitals in the country in April 2012. And last year, the hospital ranked No. 1 for heart attack survivability in Pennsylvania and fourth best in the country.

The Doylestown Hospital board of directors has hired a "healthcare leadership organization" to help search for Reif's successor.

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