Spokesman Checks Out of Cedars-Sinai

When Ms. Liz suffered seizures following her brain surgery, he reassured us that such complications are common and that “she is continuing to recover very nicely.”

When rumors swirled about Michael Jackson’s impending parenthood, he finally confirmed that Jackson’s wife, Debbie Rowe, had left the hospital with a healthy newborn son.

Through the years, he’s updated us on the medical conditions of celebrity patients, and sadly he’s informed us of the passing of others, along the way explaining the intricacies of liver transplants, strokes and open-heart surgery.

Now, after 13 years at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the hospital to the stars, spokesman Ron Wise, a bit of a celebrity himself, has moved on.

He submitted his resignation as vice president for public relations Monday, effective immediately, said Richard Jacobs, senior vice president for system development, to whom Wise reported.

“We were very surprised,” Jacobs said. “We deeply regret the loss. He contributed a great deal over the years.”

On Wednesday, Wise said from New York that his new post is senior vice president for corporate communications and marketing for a new global health care company launched by Dr. Bernard Salick. The job will be based in Los Angeles.

Salick is a physician-turned-entrepreneur who founded Salick Health Care, a chain of outpatient cancer centers. Earlier this month, Salick was ousted as chief executive after a British firm purchased the company.

It has been widely reported that Salick hopes to rebuild his empire, which also included kidney dialysis centers. He established his first cancer center at Cedars about 12 years ago.

Salick has a reputation for making new hires lucrative offers they cannot refuse. Over the years, he has brought in big-name specialists.

At Cedars, Wise, 51, typically oversaw a media circus, especially when big-name celebrities were hospitalized there. During Frank Sinatra’s recent hospitalization, for instance, the public relations office fielded 75 calls in two hours, says a spokeswoman. At the Liz Taylor news conference announcing her brain surgery, there were at least 20 television stations represented.

Wise’s job was viewed as a plum one by other health care public relations professionals.

A search for his replacement has not begun, Jacobs said, but is expected to start soon.

* Rebecca Andrade of the Times’ Editorial Library contributed to this report.