When Carl E. Coan interviewed for the position of chief executive of the Pediatric & Family Medical Center (PFMC) in 1990, his first impression of the organization was "a diamond in the rough." He notes, "PFMC was a unique 3-year-old facility that did not look at all like a typical community clinic, a very dedicated staff – many of whom had worked at the facility for over 30 years, and a very important mission – serving the working poor of downtown Los Angeles.

"Yet in 1990, the organization was 70 years old with a new building and not many patients. I seized the opportunity to turn the organization around."

Coan accepted the position, bringing with him close to two decades of experience in the health care industry, including 11 years as director of Planning for the Los Angeles Regional Family Planning Council and another six years as a private consultant providing marketing and strategic planning to the health care industry.

At the Family Planning Council, where he served from 1973-1984, Coan realized three major accomplishments. First, Coan created a visionary strategic plan for the 1980s, which the Council subsequently implemented Second, he played an instrumental role in developing a research unit at the Council, attracting a major $2.5 million, 5-year human trial studying a contraceptive device called the cervical cap. Third, he developed a computerized data system for patient tracking and statistical reporting – a new concept in the mid-1970s.

Upon his arrival at PFMC in 1990, Coan began building a core management staff, bringing in a director of operations and a director of finance, establishing a computerized billing office, and recruiting a staff of highly trained, full-time physicians and dentists.

Coan’s major accomplishments at PFMC since 1990 include achieving more than a 100 percent increase in annual revenues to $5.0 million; increasing service volume from 17,000 visits in 1990 to 56,000 visits in 1999; broadening the service mix of the organization to include new programs in family-centered care, mental health, child development and prenatal care; and partnering with local area schools in healthy start programs.

He attributes much of his success to his unique management approach, setting a tone within the organization where staff – from top to bottom – are given the authority and responsibility to do their jobs and do them well. "We are mission-driven, but we are run like a business," Coan notes, "And we have been very fortunate to attract and keep extremely qualified people."

Coan looks forward to continuing this success, leading the PFMC’s plans to undertake an extensive renovation of its current building – doubling the capacity of its pediatric and adult medical and dental clinics -- and constructing a new building to house PFMC’s family services programs, child care center, and administrative offices.

In addition to his position as president and chief executive officer of PFMC, Coan serves as executive director of the Pediatric & Family Medical Foundation; a member of the Board of Governors, L.A. Care Health Plan; president of the Health Care L.A. IPA; member of the Health Care Consortium of Central Los Angeles; and a member of the executive committee Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County, a member of the City of Calabasas community Policing commission, and a member of the Committee to Administer the Los Angeles Times Summer Camp Fund.