Westlake Village resident new medical director at Los Robles Hospital

Dr. Barry Thall Westlake Village resident Barry Thall, MD, has been appointed to the position of medical director of Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center in Thousand Oaks, effective Jan. 1. The announcement was made recently by Jim Sherman, hospital president and CEO.

“Dr. Thall is an outstanding individual whose strong leadership qualities and good communication skills will help to guide the medical staff and hospital during our current period of growth and into the next decade,” said Sherman.

Board-certified in orthopedic surgery, Thall joined the medical staff of Los Robles Hospital in 1983 and opened his private practice that same year. His leadership roles throughout his association with Los Robles include vice chairman of the board of trustees from 1999 to 2001.

“The position of medical director plays a very pivotal role within the organizational structure of any hospital,” said hospital Chief of Staff Vishva Dev, MD. “One of the position’s major goals is to serve as a liaison between the medical staff and hospital administration. I have the utmost confidence that Dr. Thall will be able to create a solid bridge between the two, one in which communication will move along effectively and a sense of teamwork will be enhanced.”

A graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, Thall served his internship at Virginia Mason Clinic and Hospital in Seattle, followed by an orthopedic surgery residency at Northwestern University in Chicago. He also served in the U.S. Air Force as chief of orthopedic surgery at DavisMonthan Air Force Base in Tucson.

“I am extremely pleased and honored to accept the position of medical director for Los Robles Hospital and Medical Center,” said Thall. “It’s a big step for me, because it involves stopping what I’ve done for over 29 years, practicing orthopedic medicine.

“But I feel that the timing is right for me. I want to work on another level with my peers and help to institute a culture of collaboration between our medical staff and the hospital’s administration. I’d like to make a difference here at Los Robles.

“A hospital is only as good as the people working in it. We have a group of very well educated and very professional men and women associated with both groups that are committed to high-quality patient care. With that common ground in place, I believe, we can develop systems that will continually evaluate the best ways to meet that commitment.”

Thall and his wife, Sandy, have two adult children, Ryan and Tracy.