Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Q&A: Kaiser Permanente's Next CEO Talks Strategy

Bernard J. Tyson, a Kaiser Permanente employee and leader for 28 years and its chief operating officer and president for the last two, will take over from retiring chairman and CEO George Halvorson in a series of steps over the next six months. Halvorson announced in October that he would step down in December of 2013. 

A resident of Oakland, Tyson, 53, has served as the executive vice president of Kaiser's health plan and hospital operations, and has been senior vice president and COO for Kaiser operations in eight states outside California.  In a brief phone interview Monday, Tyson shared his vision and goals for the organization.