supplier diversity
Cástulo de la Rocha, J.D., President & CEO
of AltaMed Health Services Corporation
by Margaret Faris Misri
A
lta Med Health Services Corpora- asked to pay what they could. In the
tion, a non-profit organization, past, they had a water jug in the clinic
provides quality health care and lobby where patients deposited loose
human services in historically under- change or whatever they could afford to
served, low-income, and multiethnic pay. Mr. de la Rocha said, “The need
communities of Los Angeles County. for basic care was tremendous. It was
“It is our hope and our mission to serve then that I made health care my mission
and respond to the needs of these cul- and started my journey with AltaMed.
turally diverse families by providing Today, I’m guided by the same basic
exceptional health programs.” It is the objective: to expand access to quality
reason AltaMed has garnered a national health care for all.”
reputation for innovation in the delivery “In the beginning, there was a
of care. tremendous amount of learning that
Founded in 1969 as the storefront took place both on a personal level and,
East Los Angeles Barrio Free Clinic, of course, organizationally. At the end
AltaMed now treats more than 92,000 of the day, I think it’s important to have
patients and families annually from thir- providing quality primary care, senior passion for the work you do – that
ty-three service sites throughout South- care services and an array of other should be prerequisite number one. I’ve
ern California, including 7 stand-alone health and human service programs to always certainly been passionate about
health care clinics, 2 mobile health care the underserved. the cause of health care.” Most impor-
units, 9 social service sites, and 2 satel- Mr. de la Rocha holds a Juris Doc- tantly, Mr. de la Rocha says, “I absolute-
lite high school clinics affiliated with torate from Boalt Hall School of Law at ly love my job. I feel quite blessed to
Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. The the University of California, Berkeley; a enjoy the work that I do every single
health care clinics are located in East Bachelor of Arts in Political Science day.”
Los Angeles, Downtown Los Angeles, from the University of California, Santa Alta Med has faced obstacles; every
Bell, Pico Rivera, and El Monte. Barbara; and a Certificate in Manage- organization goes through good times
Under the leadership of President & ment from Stanford University. He has and tough times. Mr. de la Rocha said,
CEO, Cástulo de la Rocha, J.D., served on the Board of Governors of “We’ve certainly have gone through
AltaMed has become one of the largest L.A. Care Health Plan, as a Corporate ours. What’s critical to getting through
employers in Los Angeles with over 900 Board Member of Blue Shield of Cali- the tough times is having a group of
employees. The majority of their staff is fornia, regional chair of the Surgeon committed and talented individuals that
bilingual, speaking Spanish/ English, General’s Hispanic/Latino Health Initia- make up your leadership team. Without
Cantonese/English or Mandarin/Eng- tive, and Board Member of the Los strong and committed leadership it’s
lish. Mr. de la Rocha is responsible for Angeles Orthopaedic Hospital Founda- difficult to maneuver through challeng-
ensuring that AltaMed makes progress tion Board of Trustees. ing times. Equally important, I believe
in executing their corporate goals and Mr. de la Rocha started with we must always see the decisions we
objectives and that, ultimately, they AltaMed in 1977. Back then, AltaMed make through the lens of our mission,
meet their mission. was a storefront operation known as the core values and of course our impact on
Cástulo de la Rocha, has been Presi- East Los Angeles Barrio Free Clinic. people. At the end of the day we are
dent and CEO of AltaMed Health Ser- This organization had two employees. here to deliver quality services to our
vices Corporation since 1977. AltaMed With the help of volunteer doctors, they patients.”
is the largest nonprofit community provided free medical care to the resi- As a non-profit organization, how
health center in the State of California dents of East Los Angeles. People were does AltaMed receive financial back-
16 Celebrating over 15 Years of Embracing Diversity WWW.HNMAGAZINE.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84