Tam leaves Palomar Health

Palomar Health is looking for a new vice president for its Pomerado Hospital in Poway following the resignation of Dr. David Tam.

His final day was Sept. 25 after working at Palomar Health since March 2008, when hired to be Pomerado Hospital’s chief administrative officer. He was also the CAO of the Palomar Health Downtown Campus. Tam will be the new chief operating officer at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica.

Prior to joining Palomar Health Tam served 24 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as a captain. He came to Naval Medical Center San Diego as a pediatric neurologist and before his military retirement was chief operating officer for the Western Region of TriCare, the military’s health insurance program.

Since joining Palomar Health, he not only oversaw Pomerado Hospital, but also led the construction effort for the building and activation of the $957 million Palomar Medical Center, which opened in 2012.

Tam also led the district’s hospitality division through its conversion to a self-managed operation, improving quality and satisfaction, said Palomar Health spokeswoman Bobette Brown.

During his tenure Tam also was the chief marketing and communications officer during the new hospital’s grand opening and the district’s acceptance into the Mayo Clinic Care Network, she said. Other duties included maintaining system level executive oversight over operation areas like facilities, supply chain, pharmacy, food and nutrition services, and security.

Until Palomar Health hires Tam’s successor, Registered Nurse Cheryl Olson will serve as interim vice president for Pomerado Hospital, Brown said. Olson has been a chief operating officer, chief nursing officer and vice president of patient care services for multiple hospitals and health systems across the country.