Who: James Hinton, 57
New role: CEO of Dallas-based Baylor Scott & White Health, effective Jan. 16. He replaces Joel Allison, who announced in March that he would retire early next year.
Background: Hinton is CEO of Albuquerque-based Presbyterian Healthcare Services, a position he's held since 1995. At Presbyterian, he focused on building an integrated system and expanding access. He will continue to work there until he transitions to his new role in mid-January. Allison, 68, spearheaded the 2013 merger that formed Baylor Scott & White.
Top priorities: Hinton said he will likely focus on physician organizations and investments in information technology. “IT is a big part of these businesses now and enabling the massive amounts of data that we produce every day to be digitally stored and retrieved for the benefit of patients is a critical strategy,” he said.
High-value care: Hinton said one of Baylor Scott & White's strengths is its health plan. “I have a fair amount of experience managing a health plan that accepts fixed payments from a variety of different customers and then organizes networks of hospitals and physicians to provide that care,” he said. “I believe in those models, because I think that providers properly incented can produce the highest value healthcare.”
