Ex- CEO of James to lead Calif. med center
The recently resigned leader of the Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital has accepted a position at a California medical center, telling a cancer-related publication that he left because it was time to seek new opportunities — personally and professionally.
Dr. Michael Caligiuri was appointed president and physician-in-chief of City of Hope National Medical Center in the city of Duarte in Los Angeles County, the medical center announced Tuesday. He will take the position in February. Information about his salary was unavailable.
Caligiuri recently stepped down as chief executive of the James Cancer Hospital and director of Ohio State’s Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Executives at the James and the Cancer Center released an internal message in which they say that Caligiuri oversaw record financial performance at the James, the recruitment of 180 sub-specialized cancer physicians, and the raising of more than $420 million for an Ohio State campaign and more than $156 million for cancer research through the Pelotonia bike-riding fundraiser.
“He was instrumental in transforming the Comprehensive Cancer Center from probationary status with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) to becoming the only university-based cancer center to receive the NCI’s highest descriptor of ‘exceptional’ and a perfect score of 10,” the email says.
Caligiuri, 61, did not respond to an email seeking comment. He has declined previous requests for an interview by The Dispatch.
But he shared his thoughts in an extensive interview with The Cancer Letter, published online Tuesday at https://cancerletter.com.
“Successful cancer center directors have their own resources of space and money, awvnd are headed by collegial, cooperative people that have the respect for and the respect of their various deans and department chairs. In that environment, you have a win-win situation with which to build cancer programs,” he told the publication. “In instances where one or the other party is looking to garner all of the resources and not collaborate across the college-cancer center continuum, one sees deterioration and vacancies.”
Caligiuri’s resignation came amid tensions at the medical center, much of which revolve around the cancer center’s independence.
New leadership at the James will have a different reporting structure than it did with Caligiuri, a university spokesman has said.
While Caligiuri reported directly to the university president, the new head of the James will instead report to a yet-to-be-appointed chancellor who will oversee the whole of Ohio State’s medical center.
Dr. Raphael Pollock has been appointed director of the Cancer Center.