HLC Members Named to Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
Modern Healthcare’s recently released “50 Most Influential Clinical Executives” list includes seven leaders from Healthcare Leadership Council member companies – representing both insurers and care providers.
The 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives list seeks to highlight leaders who use their critical insight and expertise to serve the needs of patients and support care team colleagues on the front lines. They also help shape short- and long-term strategies to promote the health and well-being of their communities.
HLC members recognized on the list include (in alphabetical order):
Dr. Shantanu Agrawal
Elevance Health – Chief health officer
Dr. Agrawal oversees medical policy, clinical quality and strategy for food as medicine at Elevance, which comprises Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Wellpoint health plans and the Carelon healthcare services business. The magazine highlights that under Dr. Agrawal’s leadership, Elevance last year published the Whole Health Index, a tool that assesses more than 90 health measures in physical, behavioral and social categories to evaluate well-being over time. He also leads the Elevance Health Foundation, which supports initiatives to improve maternal/child health and reduce substance-use disorders, among others.
Dr. Andrew Diamond
Amazon One Medical – Chief medical officer
Dr. Diamond, a practicing primary care physician, has been with One Medical since 2007 and has served as CMO since 2019. The membership-based primary care provider, which operates in more than 20 U.S. metropolitan markets and also has a virtual care platform, was acquired by Amazon in early 2023. Since the acquisition, Dr. Diamond has been the clinical leader on the transition team. Last year he oversaw the opening of 16 primary care offices and the launch of a pharmacy consultation program with Amazon Pharmacy to support clinicians treating high-risk patients.
Mary Beth Kingston
Advocate Health – Executive vice president and chief nursing officer
As chief nursing officer for Charlotte, North Carolina-headquartered Advocate Health, Kingston oversees strategic direction, professional development and standards for more than 42,000 nurses at 69 hospitals. She has been vocal about the need to protect clinicians from violence at the workplace and about using technology to support efficient and effective care delivery. She is a former president of the American Organization for Nursing Leadership board of directors and has served on the American Hospital Association board of trustees.
Beth Oliver
Mount Sinai Health System – Chief nurse executive and senior vice president of cardiac services
As Mount Sinai’s inaugural chief nurse executive, Oliver partners with the senior executive team and chief nursing officers at the New York City-based system’s eight hospitals to uphold the safety and quality of services and further nurses’ professional development, among other responsibilities. She also oversees the operations and strategies of Mount Sinai’s cardiovascular service line. She has spearheaded several public-facing cardiovascular health initiatives with the American Heart Association, on which she served as president of the New York City board.
Patricia Robinson
AdventHealth – Scientific director, nursing, whole person, and academic research
Robinson was instrumental to the conceptualization and oversight of a program at AdventHealth’s research institute to help nurses and nurse leaders address the effects of burnout and stress. The RISE program focuses on the themes of resilience, insight, self-compassion and empowerment. Following successful pilots and randomized controlled trials, the program is now being rolled out more broadly to nurses in the 51-hospital AdventHealth system. Robinson’s team also continues to study RISE in AdventHealth first responders and physicians. Robinson has additionally been involved in studies of acute-care nurses’ moral injury.
Dr. Farah Shafi
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island – Executive vice president and chief medical officer
Dr. Shafi, an obstetrician-gynecologist, oversees clinical affairs at the health plan, including a focus on youth behavioral health and efforts — such as colorectal cancer screenings and maternal health initiatives — to reduce healthcare disparities. Given that Rhode Island requires all health plans to provide coverage for doula services, the insurer recently announced it is collaborating with provider group Doulas of Rhode Island to expand a scholarship program that helps people of color pay for training to become doulas.
Dr. Tunde Sotunde
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina – President and CEO
Dr. Sotunde has overseen the insurance company’s expansion of its value-based care strategies, with participating providers seeing a reported reduction in unplanned hospital readmissions among adult patients and increases in colorectal screenings and cancer screenings. He, along with his leadership team, visited 100 counties in the state in a bid to more deeply understand the perspectives of educators, business leaders and clinicians. Following the tour, the insurer purchased all North Carolina FastMed locations with the stated goal of increasing access to care.
Dr. Margaret-Mary Wilson
UnitedHealth Group – Executive vice president and chief medical officer
Dr. Wilson, who is board-certified in internal medicine and healthcare quality management, has held a variety of roles at UnitedHealth Group since joining the organization in 2008. She currently oversees initiatives at the healthcare giant geared toward narrowing disparities, broadening access, reducing costs and bettering processes for providers, payers and patients. A prominent thought leader, she has written publicly about the need to address unconscious bias and live authentically, pointing to her experiences as a Black lesbian who has worked in healthcare in four continents.
HLC congratulates each of these awardees for their outstanding health care leadership. You can learn more about honorees and the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives program here.
