Sutter Health hires first-ever population health officer

Sutter Health, a not-for-profit health system based in California, has hired its first chief population health officer.

Christopher Stanley, MD, MBA, will have executive oversight of Sutter Population Health Services, which is a new division for the health system. He begins his new role on Feb. 4. Beyond improving the clinical support structure to provide quality and cost-effective care, the division will work to improve non-medical aspects of care that affect the health of Sutter Health network patients.

The move signifies the growing importance health systems are placing on population health.

“As a member of Sutter Health’s System Enterprises leadership team, Dr. Stanley will closely partner with leaders and teams already employing innovative solutions to advance care coordination, eliminate duplication of services and improve the patient experience across the full continuum of our integrated network,” Rishi Sikka, MD, president of Sutter Health System Enterprises, said in a statement.

Stanley comes to Sutter from Navigant Consulting, where he was director of its Healthcare Value Transformation practice and helped health systems and plans succeed in population health, pay-for-value, accountable care and clinical integration programs.

He also previously served as system vice president of population health for Catholic Health Initiatives, leading population health efforts across 100 facilities in 19 states. Prior to that, he worked at UnitedHealthcare as senior medical director and chief medical officer for Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming and Montana markets.

Amy Baxter

Amy joined TriMed Media as a Senior Writer for HealthExec after covering home care for three years. When not writing about all things healthcare, she fulfills her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate by sailing in regattas and enjoying rum. Fun fact: she sailed 333 miles across Lake Michigan in the Chicago Yacht Club "Race to Mackinac."

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