Prime Healthcare President Dr. Sunny Bhatia Honored by LA Times Studios with CEO Leadership Award

Recognition reflects Dr. Bhatia’s leadership advancing physician-led healthcare, quality, access, and the transformation of community hospitals

ONTARIO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sunny Bhatia, MD, MMM, FACHE, FACC, FSCAI, President and Chief Medical Officer of Prime Healthcare, has been honored by LA Times Studios as the CEO Large Company honoree at the 2026 LA Executive Forum & Leadership Awards.

Presented by LA Times Studios, part of the LA Times Media Group, the annual LA Executive Forum & Leadership Awards recognizes executive leaders across industries whose leadership, innovation, and vision are shaping their organizations, communities, and the broader business landscape. Dr. Bhatia was recognized during the awards event held June 8 at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica, California.

As President and Chief Medical Officer of Prime Healthcare, Dr. Bhatia helps lead one of the nation’s largest physician-led health systems, with 55 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations across 15 states. His leadership has helped guide Prime’s continued growth while strengthening the organization’s focus on clinical excellence, patient safety, access to care, and the long-term sustainability of community hospitals that serve as lifelines for patients and families across the country.

“As a physician, I have never believed that quality, operations, access, and financial sustainability are separate goals. They are all connected to whether a patient can walk into a hospital in their community and receive safe, timely, compassionate care,” said Dr. Bhatia. “At Prime Healthcare, we are proving that community hospitals can deliver nationally recognized outcomes when they are led with clinical discipline, operational focus, and an unwavering commitment to patients.”

Under Dr. Bhatia’s leadership, Prime Healthcare has continued to expand access to care while earning national recognition for quality, patient safety, health equity, and clinical outcomes. Prime hospitals have received more than 150 Healthgrades awards in the past year, have been named among the nation’s “100 Top Hospitals” 75 times, and continue to be recognized by leading organizations including The Leapfrog Group, the Lown Institute, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, Forbes, Premier, and Becker’s Healthcare.

Dr. Bhatia’s recognition by LA Times Studios follows several recent national honors, including being named to Modern Healthcare’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” and “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” lists, as well as recognition by the Los Angeles Business Journal as a “Leader of Influence” among the region’s top physicians. These honors reflect his leadership at the intersection of clinical care, operations, quality, innovation, and access.

In recent years, Dr. Bhatia has helped lead Prime Healthcare through significant national growth, including the successful acquisition and integration of eight Illinois hospitals in 2025, Prime’s largest acquisition to date, and the continued expansion of Prime Healthcare Foundation’s nonprofit footprint through the addition of Central Maine Healthcare in 2026. These efforts reflect Prime’s continued commitment to saving and improving community hospitals, preserving access to care, investing in services, and supporting communities with significant need.

Board certified in six specialties, Dr. Bhatia brings a unique combination of hands-on medical experience, clinical leadership, and strategic oversight to his role. His leadership continues to advance Prime Healthcare’s mission to save and improve hospitals so they can deliver compassionate, quality care to patients and better healthcare for communities.

Beyond his executive and clinical leadership, Dr. Bhatia remains committed to service through charitable initiatives including the World Children’s Initiative and the Uganda Heart Project. His work reflects Prime Healthcare’s broader commitment to improving lives, strengthening communities, and advancing care for those who need it most.

Since its founding in 2001, Prime Healthcare has invested more than $3.65 billion in hospital improvements and provided more than $16 billion in community benefits and charity care. Today, Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation continue to build a healthier future by investing in people, innovation, clinical excellence, and the long-term sustainability of community-based healthcare.

About Prime Healthcare and Prime Healthcare Foundation

Prime Healthcare is an award-winning health system operating 55 hospitals and more than 360 outpatient locations in 15 states, providing over 3 million patient visits annually. It is one of the nation’s leading health systems, with more than 60,000 employees and physicians. Twenty-one of the Prime Healthcare hospitals are members of the Prime Healthcare Foundation, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit public charity. Based in Ontario, California, Prime Healthcare is nationally recognized for award-winning quality care and has been named a 10 Top and 15 Top Health System by Truven Health Analytics. Its hospitals have been named among the nation’s “100 Top Hospitals” 75 times and is one of Healthgrades most awarded health systems in the nation for patient safety. To learn more, please visit primehealthcare.com.

Find us on:
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/prime-healthcare/
Facebook: facebook.com/primehealthcare/
Instagram: instagram.com/prime_healthcare/