The University of Pennsylvania Health System has named James Demetriades as CEO of Penn Medicine Princeton Health. He will begin his new role on March 1, 2021.
Demetriades has been with Penn Medicine Princeton Health for 17 years, and currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer. He has been a key player in some of Princeton Health’s most important milestones over the past several years – a transformative time that included joining the University of Pennsylvania Health System. Demetriades succeeds Barry Rabner, who has served as President and CEO since 2002.
“James is a proven leader who we are excited to elevate into a role in which he will help chart and execute Penn Medicine Princeton Health’s journey forward as an institution that sets the highest standards in care for patients and the community in New Jersey,” said University of Pennsylvania Health System CEO Kevin B. Mahoney.
Demetriades led the overall system planning and execution process to become part of the University of Pennsylvania Health System, collaborating with other senior leaders to execute the Medical Staff Development Plan and serving as the management liaison to the Princeton Health Board of Trustees’ Strategic Planning Committee that developed a five-year strategic plan for 2020-2025. In addition to his ongoing responsibilities for clinical departments and ancillary and support services, he also provides leadership for emergency management at Princeton Health, including the comprehensive work done throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The knowledge and experience James brings to this role will be invaluable as he leads the organization toward even greater achievements in clinical outcomes, quality, patient and employee engagement, medical staff alignment and community relations,” said Anthony Kuczinski, Chair of the Princeton Health Board. “We are excited about the combination of James’ strategic thinking and the passion he has for the organization, our patients and community we serve.”
Previously, Demetriades also served as Vice President for Professional Services, and has had operational responsibility for Surgical Services, Laboratory Services, Radiology/Imaging, Cancer Program and many other clinical and non-clinical areas. He has also held roles at organizations including the Reading Hospital and Medical Center in West Reading, PA, and HealthSouth Corporation in North Brunswick, New Jersey.
“I am honored to be given the opportunity to serve Penn Medicine Princeton Health as the CEO. I have spent 17 years here because I believe it is an outstanding organization and I hope to provide the kind of strategic leadership that will continue to propel us forward,” Demetriades said. “I am grateful to have a team of very knowledgeable and caring colleagues, the guidance of a highly committed board and the strength of the entire Penn Medicine system supporting our work.”
Demetriades earned his Bachelor of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Scranton and holds a Master’s of Business Administration in Healthcare Administration from the Temple University Fox School of Business in Philadelphia. He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Reserve Medical Service Corps Officer in the United States Navy.
Penn Medicine is one of the world’s leading academic medical centers, dedicated to the related missions of medical education, biomedical research, excellence in patient care, and community service. The organization consists of the University of Pennsylvania Health System and Penn’s Raymond and Ruth Perelman School of Medicine, founded in 1765 as the nation’s first medical school.
The Perelman School of Medicine is consistently among the nation's top recipients of funding from the National Institutes of Health, with $550 million awarded in the 2022 fiscal year. Home to a proud history of “firsts” in medicine, Penn Medicine teams have pioneered discoveries and innovations that have shaped modern medicine, including recent breakthroughs such as CAR T cell therapy for cancer and the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.
The University of Pennsylvania Health System’s patient care facilities stretch from the Susquehanna River in Pennsylvania to the New Jersey shore. These include the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Penn Presbyterian Medical Center, Chester County Hospital, Lancaster General Health, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, and Pennsylvania Hospital—the nation’s first hospital, founded in 1751. Additional facilities and enterprises include Good Shepherd Penn Partners, Penn Medicine at Home, Lancaster Behavioral Health Hospital, and Princeton House Behavioral Health, among others.
Penn Medicine is an $11.1 billion enterprise powered by more than 49,000 talented faculty and staff.