DAP Health Names Carol Wood Chief of Clinical Operations
Palm Springs, CA (March 23, 2021) — DAP Health is delighted to share the advancement of Carol Wood to Chief of Clinical Operations, after she served as Director of Clinical Administration since 2017. Carol’s decades of experience in healthcare, coupled with her dedication to the mission of DAP Health, have enabled her to lead operations during this pandemic to continue serving 9,700 patients without fail.
As Chief of Clinical Operations, Carol Wood will oversee multiple departments, including Medical, Dental, Behavioral Health and Registration. She will continue her key role in helping lead DAP Health's ongoing response to COVID, now entering its second year.
“During this past year, as DAP Health met the challenges of the evolving COVID crisis, Carol’s dedication and commitment never wavered,” says David Brinkman, CEO. “Not only was she instrumental in the launch of DAP Health’s COVID Clinic, but her leadership is a major asset to the health of our community as we move into the next 12 months of responding to the impacts of COVID.”
She brings over 40 years of healthcare experience, having served in various executive leadership positions including acute care, skilled nursing, home health, hospice, and graduate medical education.
“Carol has worked tirelessly during the COVID pandemic, connecting with the community and being that beacon of hope for so many during such an uncertain time,” says Carolyn Caldwell, president and chief executive officer of St. Mary Medical Center in Long Beach, California. Ms. Caldwell also serves on the Board of Directors at DAP Health as a board member.
According to Ms. Caldwell, recent events including the COVID pandemic and civil unrest have brought even more emphasis on health equity, with a focus on diversity and inclusion.
“At DAP we know, based on our experience, that the people we serve must be represented in the diversity of the people who lead and provide care,” says Mr. Brinkman. “Two of the ways health equity is achieved are through cultural competence and hiring.”
Despite making up 65 % of healthcare’s workforce, women only hold around 30% of medical leadership positions in the US. (Oliver Wyman)
“I applaud DAP Health for their focus on diversity and inclusion and I would like to share a quote by Ruth Bader Ginsberg that I think is very appropriate,” says Ms. Caldwell. “’Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.’”
About DAP Health
DAP Health is an advocacy-based health center in Palm Springs, CA serving over 9,700 patients, offering medical and mental healthcare, STI testing and treatment, dentistry, pharmacy, and lab. A variety of services enable patients to experience optimal health, including social services, support groups, alternative therapies, and other wellness services. Excellent HIV care is provided by the largest team of specialized clinicians in the area.
DAP opened one of California’s first COVID clinics and hotlines to offer screening, testing, and treatment. DAP Health works to improve social determinants that affect people’s health outcomes, all of which have been compounded by the pandemic — these include food and housing insecurity, joblessness, isolation, and access to health care.
DAP’s sexual health clinic offers STI testing and treatment, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP), and HIV and HCV testing. DAP has earned Charity Navigator’s highest rating for the twelfth consecutive year – landing DAP in the top 6% of nonprofits rated. The distinction recognizes that DAP exceeds industry standards in terms of financial health, accountability, and transparency.
Visit www.daphealth.org to learn more.
About St. Mary Medical Center
St. Mary Medical Center was founded in August 1923 by the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word to serve the healthcare needs of Long Beach and the surrounding communities. Today, the hospital and clinics continue to deliver quality medical services and programs. St. Mary’s commitment is to provide the best patient experience for everyone who needs care.
More than 600 physicians and more than 1,350 employees work at Dignity Health St. Mary Medical Center. There are clinics on campus for children, pregnant women, families and seniors, plus specialty care clinics. There are 389 patient rooms in the hospital, most of them private, single occupancy.