Longtime Los Robles hospital CEO announces her departure; replacement search launched
Almost exactly 10 years after she was named the first woman CEO at Los Robles Regional Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, Natalie Mussi has announced she is leaving the hospital.
In an email to the hospital and health system's more than 1,800 employees, Mussi said she will depart March 1 for a new position in the Far West Division of HCA Healthcare, the for-profit system that operates Los Robles. Hospital officials said the change will help her reach career goals and bring her closer to parents in Northern California.
“While I’m excited about the opportunity both professionally and personally, I am sad that it will mean I am leaving the team and community here at Los Robles,” she said in the letter.
HCA officials said a national search for a new CEO has begun.
Mussi has worked at the hospital since 2008 when she became chief operating officer. She was appointed CEO in January 2014. Her tenure at Los Robles has included the purchase of Thousand Oaks Surgical Hospital 12 years ago, the launch of Los Robles’ trauma center and several expansion projects at the hospital. She also helped establish a medical residency program.
Dr. Ken Saul, who serves as pediatrics chief at Los Robles, said he’s disappointed by the departure.
“I loved working with her,” he said, citing accomplishments that include the addition of a pediatric intensive care unit now operating as an intermediate care unit. “Administrators don’t always care. They sometimes act like they care, and they don’t. She seems to really care.”
The hospital has drawn attention for union disputes and repeated accusations of under-staffing that have been denied by administrators. Nurses in SEIU Local 121RN waged a five-day strike at the hospital over Thanksgiving and then later rejected a contract agreement reached in bargaining sessions. Bargaining teams reached another agreement on Tuesday that will go to the nurses in a vote on Jan. 17.
In October, the hospital agreed to pay $30.5 million settlement in a civil lawsuit over the 2018 death of a patient with more allegations about inadequate staffing. The hospital denied the accusations.
Xochitl Gonzalez, a patient care tech Los Robles and union steward in SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West, expressed hope the leadership shift will bring more change.
“I know that with a fresh set of eyes, there could be some improvements,” she said.
Mussi declined an interview request. In an email, hospital officials said she will serve in her new position as vice president of operations for HCA's Surgery Ventures group that includes oversight of surgery centers in California and Nevada. They said the move has nothing to do with staffing accusations or union issues.
"Although the news is bittersweet for Team Los Robles, we are excited for this positive move for Natalie professionally that will allow her to utilize her leadership and expertise on a larger scale," they said.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at tom.kisken@vcstar.com or 805-437-0255.
This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Los Robles Regional Medical Center's CEO to leave in March
