Fairfax, VA – Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) is excited to announce Laurel Blakemore, MD as its new Chief Executive Officer, effective October 19th.
Dr. Blakemore previously served in the role of Shriners Endowed Professor and Division Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at the University of Florida’s College of Medicine in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation. Prior to her stint with the University of Florida, Dr. Blakemore served as Chief of Pediatric Orthopaedics at Children’s National hospital for nine years.
Her primary focus at PSV will be on leading the organization through its next phase of development and growth by applying her vast experience working with ambulatory healthcare practices, as well as utilizing the operational acumen she’s acquired while working at a variety of health care facilities and over the course of her illustrious career.
“I am so excited to return to Pediatric Specialists of Virginia and work with the wonderful team there,” said Dr. Blakemore. “As Chief of Orthopaedics at Children’s National I participated in the start of PSV, a unique example of what can be accomplished through collaboration and vision. I welcome the opportunity to work with the PSV team to further develop our ability to offer the best pediatric specialty care possible to the region’s children.”
In addition to her role as CEO, Dr. Blakemore will also maintain her orthopaedic clinical practice. Her clinical areas of interest include scoliosis care including early onset scoliosis and orthopedic trauma, to name but a few.
Dr. Blakemore is PSV’s second Chief Executive Officer after taking over for Dr. Leon Moores, who recently accepted an executive leadership position at Inova Health System, after nearly six years of exemplary leadership and service in the CEO role at PSV.
About Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV): Pediatric Specialists of Virginia (PSV) was collaboratively created by Children’s National Hospital and Inova Health System in 2013 as a pediatric specialty group dedicated to caring for the needs of children in Northern Virginia and surrounding areas. Its mission is to provide superb pediatric specialty care through clinical excellence, innovation, education, research and family-centered care. As a medical group practice with tax-exempt status under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, our specialists care for children during hospital stays at Children’s National and Inova Children’s Hospital and throughout their childhood on an ongoing, outpatient basis. Many are recognized as “Top Docs” by The Washingtonian and Northern Virginia Magazine, and have appeared in U.S. News & World Report as leading experts in their fields. For more information about PSV, please visit: www.psvcare.org.
About Children’s National Hospital: Children’s National Hospital, based in Washington, D.C., has served the nation’s children since 1870. Children’s National is the nation’s No. 6 pediatric hospital and, for the third straight year, is ranked No. 1 in newborn care, as well as ranked in all specialties evaluated by U.S. News & World Report. It has been designated two times as a Magnet® hospital, a designation given to hospitals that demonstrate the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. This pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty outpatient centers in the D.C. Metropolitan area, including the Maryland suburbs and Northern Virginia. Home to the Children’s Research Institute and the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation, Children’s National is the seventh-highest NIH-funded children’s hospital in the nation. Children’s National is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.
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About Inova: Inova Children’s Hospital is Northern Virginia’s only dedicated children’s hospital, and is located on the Inova Fairfax Medical Campus. The 226-bed, full service children’s hospital offers a complete range of services in more than 40 pediatric subspecialties, including one of the area’s largest heart programs with pediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery. The hospital serves as the Northern Virginia’s tertiary pediatric referral center; home to its only Pediatric Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, and Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Inova Children’s Hospital is part of Inova, Northern Virginia’s leading nonprofit healthcare provider that serves more than 2 million people each year in the Washington, DC region and beyond. Inova was recognized in 2019 and 2020 by U.S. News & World Report, which named Inova Fairfax Hospital the #1 hospital in the Washington, DC region. All five Inova hospitals were awarded ‘A’ grades for the spring 2020 Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grades, recognizing Inova’s achievements in protecting patients from harm and providing safer healthcare. Each of Inova’s five hospitals holds a 5-star rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), distinguishing Inova as the highest-rated large health system in the U.S., and the only system to have all hospitals receive five stars. Inova Fairfax Medical Campus was named to the Fortune/IBM Watson Health 100 Top Hospitals list, ranking in the top 10 nationwide among Major Teaching Hospitals.