50 Most Influential Physician Executives – 2015

Dr. Christine Cassel's name will forever be linked to issues surrounding quality of care. Cassel, 69, serves as president and CEO of the National Quality Forum, a not-for-profit organization that promotes patient safety and healthcare quality by setting standards, measuring performance and providing guidance. She was also a member of the Institute of Medicine committees that produced the landmark 1999 reports "To Err is Human" and 2001's "Crossing the Quality Chasm." Chosen by President Barack Obama in 2009, Cassel serves on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, which provides consultation and makes policy recommendations where science, technology and innovation intersect.