New Chief of Staff Named at Scripps Mercy Hospital

The physicians at Scripps Mercy Hospital’s Hillcrest and Chula Vista campuses have elected vascular surgeon Michael Sise, MD, as the new chief of staff of the county’s longest established medical center. Dr. Sise took over as head of the 1,100-member physician team on Jan. 1.

As chief of staff for Scripps Mercy Hospital’s two campuses (San Diego and Chula Vista), Dr. Sise will serve as a medical staff liaison to Scripps Mercy San Diego’s administrative staff and Scripps Health’s board of directors. During his two-year term, he will play a key role in driving continuous quality improvement in the delivery of health care services to the more than 200,000 patients who visit the hospital annually.

He succeeds outgoing Chief of Staff Thomas Lian, MD

“Dr. Sise’s commitment to Scripps Mercy Hospital and the San Diego County trauma system over the years is outstanding and exemplary, making him an ideal medical staff leader,” said Tom Gammiere, chief executive of Scripps Mercy. “The level of experience and expertise that Dr. Sise brings into this position will serve him well, and we are very pleased to welcome him to this new role.”

Dr. Sise’s priorities

As chief of staff, Dr. Sise plans to increase the level of collaboration and collegiality among medical staff members as they continue to provide the best possible care for all the patients. Dr. Sise also will focus on recruiting a new generation of physicians to Scripps Mercy as many of the hospital’s senior physicians approach retirement.

He said he sees this new role as an opportunity to give back to his colleagues who have supported him over the past 20 years while he served as a clinical leader in the trauma, vascular surgery and surgical services specialties at Scripps Mercy.

“I am committed to support my colleagues’ efforts to keep their practices strong and growing,” Dr. Sise said. “I am honored that my colleagues share my vision of strengthening our practices and supporting each other.”

Medical staff member since 1987

Dr. Sise has been a member of the medical staff at Scripps Mercy Hospital since 1987 and has held numerous medical staff leadership position including chief of surgery and trauma medical director. Under his leadership, Scripps Mercy was designated a Level 1 Trauma Center. He has also been recognized as one of San Diego’s top doctors by his colleagues in the San Diego County Medical Society.

Dr. Sise earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and completed both his residency and fellowship at the Naval Medical Center San Diego. He is board-certified by the American Board of Surgery in surgery, vascular surgery and surgical critical care.

Following his medical training, he served as a US Navy surgeon for 20 years and was chief surgeon on the USS Guam and USS Iwo Jima during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. He also served abroad the USS Constellation, USS Kitty Hawk, USS Ranger, USS Independence and other ships.

In addition to his medical practice, Dr. Sise is a dedicated teacher. He trains military surgeons for combat casualty care and is a senior faculty member at the Naval Medical Center San Diego.

Dr. Sise will continue to practice trauma, vascular surgery and surgical critical care. He also will lead Scripps Mercy’s trauma research and education program, which focuses on publishing research and educating more than 70 Navy and Kaiser Permanente residents and Navy physician assistants.

Born in Amsterdam. N.Y., Dr. Sise married his wife, Beth McDonald Sise, in 1976. Together, they have a son and a granddaughter. Dr. Sise and Mrs. Sise enjoy cruising the Southern California coastal waters and the Channel Islands on his Catalina 42 sailboat. He also travels frequently with his family to Europe, visiting the Basque Country and other destinations on the continent.

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system in San Diego, Calif.