100 Most Powerful at a glance
Skip to main content
MDHC_Logotype_white
Subscribe
  • My Account
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • News
    • This Week's News
    • COVID-19
    • Providers
    • Insurance
    • Government
    • Finance
    • Technology
    • Safety & Quality
    • People
    • Regional News
    • Digital Edition
    • Encompass Health reports minor gains in fourth quarter, predicts 8% growth in 2021
      Lab stakeholders welcome Biden moves on COVID-19 testing, suggest additional steps
      Humana names first chief equity officer
      Amid COVID health worker shortage, foreign-trained professionals sit on sidelines
    • Lab stakeholders welcome Biden moves on COVID-19 testing, suggest additional steps
      Amid COVID health worker shortage, foreign-trained professionals sit on sidelines
      J&J 4Q sales rise despite pandemic, but charges cut profits
      Biden administration to boost vaccine supply amid shortages
    • Ascension’s St. Mary’s Hospital Surgery Center at Towne Centre and Allegheny Health Network’s Bethel Park surgery center
      Hospitals see opportunity, risk in ambulatory surgery centers
      Health suffers as rural hospitals close
      Medicare ACO participants fell in 2021
      Louisiana gets reports vaccine providers are discriminating
    • Billing, antitrust exemption changes upend negotiations between insurers and providers
      MAIN-Health Bill_iStock_i.jpg
      Insurance-tech firm MultiPlan makes $155M buy after blank-check deal
      Last-minute COVID costs cut into UnitedHealthcare's $396 million operating income
      CMS approves rule forcing insurers to ease prior authorization
    • CMS pauses three Trump-era proposed rules
      Biden administration to boost vaccine supply amid shortages
      It's a secret: California keeps key virus data from public
      lacewell_linda_supertinendent_dept_of_financial_services_8.47.jpg
      New York state investigates drug price spikes during pandemic
    • KPMG says deal activity will stay high in '21: 10 takeaways
      By the Numbers: 20 largest healthcare investment banks in 2020
      Providers await new HHS coronavirus grant reporting deadline
      Operation Warp Speed Dr. Moncef Slaoui, Pfizer Group President Angela Hwang, Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel, CVS Health Executive Vice President Karen Lynch and McKesson CEO Brian Tyler participate in a panel discussion on the COVID-19 vaccine.
      Hospitals, drug companies strive to stand out virtually at JPM
    • Studies extend hopes for antibody drugs against COVID-19
      Google to convert office space for COVID-19 vax clinics
      Next Up Podcast: What to expect with telehealth and healthcare technology in the next 4 years - Transcript
      Dr. Karen DeSalvo
      Next Up Podcast: What to expect with telehealth and healthcare technology in the next four years
    • Amid COVID health worker shortage, foreign-trained professionals sit on sidelines
      China pushes conspiracy theories on COVID origin, vaccines
      50% of Americans make resolutions. Fewer than 27% keep them over time.
      Data Points: Sticking with your resolutions
      An older man wearing a mask receiving a vaccine.
      Want more diversity in clinical trials? Start with the researchers
    • Humana names first chief equity officer
      WEb_i.jpg
      Q&A: Dr. Cliff Megerian, University Hospitals' soon-to-be CEO
      ZentyWeb_i.jpg
      Tom Zenty is leaving a legacy of transformational growth at University Hospitals
      Cerner names Erceg as new CFO
    • Midwest
    • Northeast
    • South
    • West
  • Insights
    • ACA 10 Years After
    • Best Practices
    • InDepth Special Reports
    • Innovations
    • The Affordable Care Act after 10 years
    • New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
      doctor with patient
      COVID-19 treatment protocol developed in the field helps patients recover
      Rachel Wyatt
      Project to curb pressure injuries in hospitals shows promise
      Yale New Haven's COVID-19 nurse-staffing model has long-term benefits
    • Dr. James Hildreth
      How medical education can help fight racism
      Modern Healthcare InDepth: Breaking the bias that impedes better healthcare
      Videos: Healthcare industry executives describe their encounters with racism
      Michellene Davis
      Healthcare leadership lacks the racial diversity needed to reduce health disparities
      Quotes from rebadged employees
      Outsourcing IT, revenue cycle takes toll on internal culture
    • A phone screen showing the question, "Mary we hope this information was helpful and we'd like to keep guiding you. Are you interested in knowing when it's your turn to receive the vaccine?"
      Chatbots, texting campaigns help manage influx of COVID vax questions
      A woman with a wearable sensor talking to her provider.
      Wearable sensors help diagnose heart rhythm problems in West Virginia
      self service station
      COVID-19 pushes patient expectations toward self-service
      Targeting high-risk cancer patients with genetics
  • Transformation
    • Patients
    • Operations
    • Care Delivery
    • Payment
    • Highmark Health inks six-year cloud, tech deal with Google
      Study: 1 in 5 patients report discrimination when getting healthcare
      HHS proposes changing HIPAA privacy rules
      Android health records app launches at 230 health systems
    • California hospitals prepare ethical protocol to prioritize lifesaving care
      Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, Berkshire Hathaway disband Haven
      Digital pathways poised to reshape healthcare continuum in 2021
      Healthcare was the hardest hit by supply shortages across all U.S. industries
    • A phone screen showing the question, "Mary we hope this information was helpful and we'd like to keep guiding you. Are you interested in knowing when it's your turn to receive the vaccine?"
      Chatbots, texting campaigns help manage influx of COVID vax questions
      A woman with a wearable sensor talking to her provider.
      Wearable sensors help diagnose heart rhythm problems in West Virginia
      New care model helps primary-care practices treat obesity
      How hospitals are building on COVID-19 telehealth momentum
    • Regional insurers bet big on virtual-first plans
      MedPAC votes to boost hospital payments, freeze or cut other providers
      Most Next Gen ACOs achieved bonuses in 2019
      Congress recalibrates Medicare Physician Fee Schedule after lobbying
  • Data/Lists
    • Rankings/Lists
    • Interactive Databases
    • Data Points
    • Health Systems Financials
      Executive Compensation
      Physician Compensation
  • Op-Ed
    • Bold Moves
    • Breaking Bias
    • Commentaries
    • Letters
    • Vital Signs Blog
    • From the Editor
    • Wellstar CEO calls adapting for the pandemic her bold move
      Howard P. Kern
      Recognizing the value of telehealth in its infancy
      Dr. Stephen Markovich
      A bold move helped take him from family doctor to OhioHealth CEO
      Dr. Bruce Siegel
      Why taking a hospital not-for-profit was Dr. Bruce Siegel’s boldest move
    • Barry Ostrowsky
      Ending racism is a journey taken together; the starting point must be now
      Laura Lee Hall and Gary Puckrein
      Increased flu vaccination has never been more important for communities of color
      John Daniels Jr.
      Health equity: Making the journey from buzzword to reality
      Mark C. Clement and David Cook
      We all need to 'do something' to fight inequities and get healthcare right, for every patient, every time
    • The missing piece in our fight against COVID-19: primary care
      Ambulatory surgery centers offer extraordinary value in a high-cost healthcare system
       Alan B. Miller
      Looking ahead with optimism as we continue to transform healthcare
      Dr. Bruce Siegel
      By protecting the healthcare safety net, Biden can put us on the path to a stronger country
    • Letters: Eliminating bias in healthcare needs to be ‘deliberate and organic’
      Letters: Maybe dropping out of ACOs is a good thing for patients
      Letters: White House and Congress share blame for lack of national COVID strategy
      Letters: VA making strides to improve state veterans home inspections
    • Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      How blockchain could ease frustration with the payment process
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Three steps to better data-sharing for payer and provider CIOs
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Reduce total cost of care: 6 reasons why providers and payers should tackle the challenge together
      Sponsored Content Provided By Optum
      Why CIOs went from back-office operators to mission-critical innovators
  • Awards
    • Award Programs
    • Nominate
    • Previous Award Programs
    • Other Award Programs
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare Logo for Navigation
      Nominations Open - Best Places to Work in Healthcare
      Nominations Open - Health Care Hall of Fame
      Nominations Open - 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • 100 Most Influential People
    • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
    • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
    • Health Care Hall of Fame
    • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
    • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
    • Top 25 Innovators
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders
    • Top 25 Women Leaders
    • Excellence in Nursing Awards
    • Design Awards
    • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
    • 100 Top Hospitals
    • ACHE Awards
  • Events
    • Conferences
    • Galas
    • Webinars
    • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Sponsored Content Provided By NTT DATA
      Webinar: Mistakes I’ve Made — Confessions of a Healthcare Cybersecurity Expert
      bright.md logo lockup webinar
      Sponsored Content Provided By Bright.md
      Webinar: Enabling a hybrid care model — Streamlining the patient path to both telehealth and in-person care
    • Leadership Symposium
    • Healthcare Transformation Summit
    • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
    • Workplace of the Future Conference
    • Strategic Marketing Conference
    • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
    • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
    • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
    • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala (2022)
    • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
  • Listen
    • Podcast - Next Up
    • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
    • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
    • Video Series - The Check Up
    • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • Dr. Karen DeSalvo
      Next Up Podcast: What to expect with telehealth and healthcare technology in the next four years
      Carter Dredge
      Next Up Podcast: Ready, set, innovate! Innovation and disruption in healthcare
      Next Up Podcast: COVID-19, social determinants highlight health inequities — what next?
      Next Up Podcast: Saving Rural Health
    • Beyond the Byline: Regulators aim to boost value push with fraud and abuse law updates
      An older man wearing a mask receiving a vaccine.
      Beyond the Byline: Verifying information on the chaotic COVID-19 vaccine rollout
      doctor burnout
      Beyond the Byline: How healthcare supply chain struggles contribute to employee burnout
      Beyond the Byline: Covering race and diversity in the healthcare industry
    • Leading intention promote diversity and inclusion
      Introducing Healthcare Insider Podcast
    • The Check Up: Dr. Joseph Kerschner
      The Check Up: Dr. Joseph Kerschner of the Medical College of Wisconsin
      The Check Up: Chip Kahn
      The Check Up: Chip Kahn of the Federation of American Hospitals
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray
      The Check Up: Trenda Ray of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
      The Check Up: Dr. Kenneth Davis
      The Check Up: Dr. Kenneth Davis of Mount Sinai Health System
    • Video: Ivana Naeymi Rad of Intelligent Medical Objects
  • MORE +
    • Advertise
    • Media Kit
    • Newsletters
    • Jobs
    • People on the Move
    • Reprints & Licensing
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. People
August 24, 2009 01:00 AM

100 Most Powerful at a glance

Jennifer Lubell
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print

    The top 10 … Unsurprisingly, the chief architects of healthcare reform dominated the top 10 spots on this year's 100 Most Powerful People in Healthcare, among them President Barack Obama (No. 1); Senate Finance Committee leaders Max Baucus (D-Mont.) (No. 4) and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) (No. 5); and Peter Orszag, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (No. 9).

    Grassley is one of only 12 members of this year's list to have been named to all eight of the annual rankings by Modern Healthcare. Orszag is one 38 people appearing on the list for the first time this year. Last year, Hillary Rodham Clinton, now secretary of state, was the only woman in the top 10. In 2009, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the White House Office of Health Reform, commanded the No. 2 and No. 3 slots, respectively, with Carolyn Clancy, director of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, ranking No. 7.

    Doctors in the house … The physician lobby had a strong showing this year, with heads of major medical associations dominating the newcomers' list of the 100 Most Powerful. Among them was Jack Lewin, CEO of the American College of Cardiology (No. 80); Ted Epperly, president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (No. 84); John Tooker, executive vice president and CEO of the American College of Physicians (No. 86), and J. James Rohack, president of the American Medical Association (No. 95).

    Christine Cassel, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a physician credentialing organization, is another newcomer to the ranking at No. 34.

    IT present but less visible … For the most part, the health IT giants that dominated last year's list had a less visible presence in 2009, despite all of the attention given to the push for IT in healthcare. Steve Case, co-founder of America Online and founder, chairman and CEO of Revolution Health Group, who captured the No. 1 spot last year, wasn't even on this year's list. Eric Schmidt, chairman of Google, slipped all the way from No. 2 last year to No. 52 this year.

    Not everyone in health IT fell back on the list, however. Mark Leavitt, chairman of the Certification Commission for Health Information Technology, rose to No. 58 this year, from his No. 69 ranking in 2008. Leavitt has been named to the ranking for the past three consecutive years.

    And, the top 10 ranking for David Blumenthal, national coordinator for healthcare IT, indicates that electronic health records and other IT advances are still very much on the minds of Modern Healthcare readers. Blumenthal placed No. 6 this year. He has been on the ranking of the 100 Most Powerful four times previously, then as director of the Institute for Health Policy at Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, most recently in 2006 when he ranked No. 68.

    Some fell, some got right back up … Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, jumped from No. 87 in 2008 to No. 10 this year, whereas Trevor Fetter, president and CEO of Tenet Healthcare Corp., Dallas, fell from No. 14 in 2008 to No. 53 this year. Fetter is another of the 12 members of this year's list to have been named to all eight of the annual rankings.

    Karen Ignagni, president and CEO of America's Health Insurance Plans, the private insurance industry's main lobbying arm, took a slight dip, from No. 44 last year to No. 50 this year. Ignagni also has been named to all eight of the annual rankings. Angela Braly, president and CEO of insurance giant WellPoint, Indianapolis, ranked at No. 41 this year, down from No. 25 in 2008. On the quality side, Mark Chassin, president of the Joint Commission, jumped from No. 62 in 2008 to No. 48, his second consecutive year on the ranking. Donald Berwick, president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, landed at the No. 20 spot, down slightly from No. 17 last year. Berwick also is one of the 12 on this year's list to have been included on all eight of the annual rankings.

    Hospitals and more hospitals … Richard Umbdenstock, president of the American Hospital Association, who's been voted to the 100 Most Powerful for five consecutive years, ranked No. 47 this year, a slight drop from last year's No. 43. On the for-profit side, Chip Kahn, president of the Federation of American Hospitals, ranks No. 67 this year vs. No. 73 in 2008. He is yet another executive to have been included on all eight of Modern Healthcare's annual rankings.

    Sister Mary Jean Ryan, chairman and CEO of SSM Health Care, St. Louis, ranks No. 71 this year, from the No. 13 spot last year. Ryan has been named to the annual ranking seven out of the eight years it has been conducted. Lloyd Dean, president and CEO of Catholic Healthcare West, who has been on the list five times, jumped to No. 32 from his ranking of No. 57 last year. Joseph Swedish, president and CEO of Trinity Health, Novi, Mich., did slightly better this year, climbing from No. 76 in 2008 to claim the No. 60 spot this year. He's been named to the annual ranking four times. Bill Carpenter, president and CEO of LifePoint Hospitals, Brentwood, Tenn., is a newcomer, debuting at No. 27.

    No stranger to controversy ... Betsy McCaughey, another newcomer on this year's list at No. 72, founder of the organization RID: Committee to Reduce Infection Deaths, is no newcomer to controversy. She's known for her op-ed articles in the early 1990s that offered scathing analysis of the healthcare reform plan by the Clinton administration, and more recently for attacking end-of-life counseling provisions in the current reform proposals in Congress. She has been widely criticized for inaccuracies in her statements on health reform.

    Letter
    to the
    Editor

    Send us a letter

    Have an opinion about this story? Click here to submit a Letter to the Editor, and we may publish it in print.

    Recommended for You
    Humana names first chief equity officer
    Humana names first chief equity officer
    Q&A: Dr. Cliff Megerian, University Hospitals' soon-to-be CEO
    Q&A: Dr. Cliff Megerian, University Hospitals' soon-to-be CEO
    Sponsored Content
    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up for free enewsletters and alerts to receive breaking news and in-depth coverage of healthcare events and trends, as they happen, right to your inbox.

    Subscribe Today

    The weekly magazine, websites, research and databases provide a powerful and all-encompassing industry presence. We help you make informed business decisions and lead your organizations to success.

    Subscribe
    Connect with Us
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS
    • Instagram

    Stay Connected

    Join the conversation with Modern Healthcare through our social media pages

    MDHC_Logotype_white
    Contact Us

    (877) 812-1581

    Email us

     

    Resources
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Editorial Dept
    • Submission Guidelines
    • Code of Ethics
    • Awards
    • About Us
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Modern Healthcare
    Copyright © 1996-2021. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • News
      • This Week's News
      • COVID-19
      • Providers
      • Insurance
      • Government
      • Finance
      • Technology
      • Safety & Quality
      • People
      • Regional News
        • Midwest
        • Northeast
        • South
        • West
      • Digital Edition
    • Insights
      • ACA 10 Years After
      • Best Practices
      • InDepth Special Reports
      • Innovations
    • Transformation
      • Patients
      • Operations
      • Care Delivery
      • Payment
    • Data/Lists
      • Rankings/Lists
      • Interactive Databases
      • Data Points
    • Op-Ed
      • Bold Moves
      • Breaking Bias
      • Commentaries
      • Letters
      • Vital Signs Blog
      • From the Editor
    • Awards
      • Award Programs
        • 100 Most Influential People
        • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives
        • Best Places to Work in Healthcare
        • Health Care Hall of Fame
        • Healthcare Marketing Impact Awards
        • Top 25 Emerging Leaders
        • Top 25 Innovators
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders
        • Top 25 Women Leaders
      • Nominate
      • Previous Award Programs
        • Excellence in Nursing Awards
        • Design Awards
        • Top 25 COOs in Healthcare
      • Other Award Programs
        • 100 Top Hospitals
        • ACHE Awards
    • Events
      • Conferences
        • Leadership Symposium
        • Healthcare Transformation Summit
        • Women Leaders in Healthcare Conference
        • Workplace of the Future Conference
        • Strategic Marketing Conference
        • Social Determinants of Health Symposium
      • Galas
        • Best Places to Work Awards Gala
        • Health Care Hall of Fame Gala
        • Top 25 Minority Leaders Gala (2022)
        • Top 25 Women Leaders Gala
      • Webinars
      • COVID-19 Event Tracker
    • Listen
      • Podcast - Next Up
      • Podcast - Beyond the Byline
      • Sponsored Podcast - Healthcare Insider
      • Video Series - The Check Up
      • Sponsored Video Series - One on One
    • MORE +
      • Advertise
      • Media Kit
      • Newsletters
      • Jobs
      • People on the Move
      • Reprints & Licensing