Thomas DeBord was placed as the chief operating officer of Overlake Medical Center in Bellevue, Washington. Overlake is a 349-bed, nonprofit regional medical center that serves the Puget Sound Region, with over 2,500 employees and more than 1,000 physicians on staff. It was the first Level III Trauma Center on the Eastside, is ranked fifth on U.S. News & World Report’s list of “Best Regional Hospitals,” and has an “A” rating for patient safety from The Leapfrog Group.
Tom brings to the position a well-rounded healthcare background with over 25 years of hospital management experience in the areas of executive leadership, operational management, and financial improvement. He has experience with joint ventures and turnarounds, in community hospitals, for-profit healthcare systems, and a large not-for-profit fully-integrated healthcare system, and has been recognized for outstanding leadership skills, integrity, passion for professional excellence, and a commitment to superior customer service and quality care.
Before joining Overlake, Tom served as the president of Summa Barberton and Wadsworth-Rittman Hospitals in Akron, Ohio, two community hospitals that included 437 total licensed beds, 1,700 employees, and 450 physicians, with net revenue of $220 million. In addition to serving as the president of these hospitals, Tom was a member of the Summa Health System executive leadership team. He was responsible for the day-to-day operations of the two hospitals, and oversaw quality, safety, service, finance, growth, governance, and physician/employee/community engagement for his region. Tom also had system responsibility for strategic planning, budgeting, marketing plans, growth, and community benefit. During his tenure, Tom sponsored multiple performance improvement projects that resulted in significant financial improvements. He was also successful in improving the patient experience and quality scores; establishing relationships with physicians, nurses, staff, and the board; achieving Meaningful Use; championing the implementation of EMR and CPOE; and attaining excellent results in regulatory compliance. In addition, Tom guided several construction projects, including an ER expansion and a new eight-bed hospice/palliative care unit.
Previously, Tom served as the chief operating officer of Summa Barberton and Wadsworth-Rittman Hospitals, and as the vice president of clinical and support services and director of managed care services at Barberton Citizens Hospital. He began his career in accounting at Barberton Citizens Hospital in Barberton, Ohio.
Tom is originally from Akron, Ohio, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting and his MBA in finance from the University of Akron. He is a Fellow in the American College of Healthcare Executives, and has been involved with the Rotary Club and the American Heart Association. He and his wife are the parents of two adult children.
