President and Chair of Prime Healthcare Foundation Dr. Kavitha Bhatia Elected to IHA Board of Trustees

NAPERVILLE, Ill. - Dr. Kavitha Bhatia, President and Chair of the Prime Healthcare Foundation and Chief Medical Officer of Strategy for Prime Healthcare, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA). The IHA Board serves as the Association's policymaking body, representing more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems across Illinois. Dr. Bhatia's three-year term began January 1, 2026. Her appointment comes as Prime Healthcare continues to expand and invest in Illinois, strengthening access to care and advancing clinical quality across the state. The first IHA Board meeting of the year is scheduled for January 23.

"We are excited to welcome Dr. Bhatia to the IHA Board," said A.J. Wilhelmi, President and CEO of IHA. "Dr. Bhatia's distinguished career as a physician leader, strategist, and champion for education and community health will bring an important perspective to our work as we advance policies that strengthen healthcare across Illinois."

As President and Chair of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, Dr. Bhatia oversees the system's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity, which advances charitable, educational, and clinical initiatives and has provided more than $13.7 billion in charity care. The Foundation has been nationally recognized by the Lown Institute for social responsibility, health equity, and quality.

In her role as Chief Medical Officer of Strategy for Prime Healthcare, Dr. Bhatia serves as the organization's lead strategist, developing and implementing initiatives that advance the mission and long-term success of Prime Healthcare, an award-winning health system with 51 hospitals across 14 states, caring for over 3 million patient visits annually. She works closely with corporate and hospital leadership to align goals, prioritize system-wide value creation, and implement strategic initiatives that support growth, health equity, and sustained operational and clinical excellence.

Dr. Bhatia is a pediatrician and is deeply committed to medical education. She serves as Founding Vice Chair of the California University of Science and Medicine and supports more than 30 physician training programs nationwide, collectively training over 700 residents annually.

Dr. Bhatia has been nationally recognized for her leadership and impact, including being named among the nation's top physician leaders, great leaders, and strategy officers by Becker's Hospital Review. She has been recognized as a "Top Pediatrician" by Top Women in Medicine and, in 2024, was selected as the recipient of the Inspirational Woman award by LA Times Studios. Dr. Bhatia is also ranked among the 500 most influential leaders in Los Angeles on the LA500 list and is regularly recognized by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a top physician, top leader, and woman of influence. She has received Congressional and California State commendations, as well as the Inspirational Leadership Award from the Beauty Bus Foundation for leading lifesaving efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"I am honored to join the Illinois Health and Hospital Association Board at a pivotal time for healthcare," said Dr. Bhatia. "Community hospitals are essential to the health of our communities, and I look forward to supporting efforts that strengthen access, improve outcomes, and ensure sustainable, compassionate care for patients across Illinois."

Dr. Bhatia is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She also serves on the Board of Directors of the California Hospital Association, is a Governing Board member of the Federation of American Hospitals (FAH) and serves on FAH's Quality and Emergency Preparedness Committees.

Dr. Bhatia graduated as a Phi Beta Kappa scholar with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physiology and Neuroscience. She earned her medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, graduating with Honors and Letters of Distinction in Doctoring. She holds a Certificate in Healthcare Strategy from Harvard Business School and a Master of Medical Management from the USC Marshall School of Business. Her academic training includes scholarship and clinical experience at world-renowned institutions such as Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston Children's Hospital, and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences.

Dr. Bhatia's philanthropic and community service includes serving on the Board of UNICEF USA-Los Angeles, as Vice Chair of the California University of Science and Medicine, as a member of the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO), and as a Grand Benefactor of World Children's Initiative. Earlier in her career, she served in Calcutta, India, working alongside Mother Teresa, and has continued to serve underserved communities across the United States. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Bhatia led Prime Healthcare as Chair of the National COVID Committee and the system's 24/7 COVID Command Center, coordinating care delivery and global humanitarian aid efforts.

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About Prime Healthcare and the Prime Healthcare Foundation

Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 51 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations in 14 states, providing over 3 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation's leading health systems, with more than 60,000 staff and affiliated physicians. Eighteen of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a 10 Top and 15 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals have been named among the nation's "100 Top Hospitals" 72 times and is one of Healthgrades' most awarded health systems in the nation for patient safety. To learn more, please visit primehealthcare.com.

About the Illinois Health and Hospital Association

The Illinois Health and Hospital Association (IHA), with offices in Chicago, Naperville, Springfield, and Washington, D.C., advocates on behalf of Illinois' more than 200 hospitals and nearly 40 health systems. IHA members provide care across the full continuum of healthcare and serve diverse communities throughout the state, including nonprofit, investor-owned, and public hospitals ranging from community and safety-net hospitals to rural, critical access, specialty, teaching, and academic medical centers. For more information, visit team-iha.org.###