Rank: 57
Dr. James Madara
CEO and executive vice president, American Medical Association
Madara, who has been chief executive of the nation’s largest physician association since 2011, is responsible for its long-term strategic plan and advocates for solutions to improve the practice of medicine. Among recent priorities, the AMA has called on Congress to enact legislation that would avert 4.5% cuts to Medicare payments in 2023. Madara also has spoken out on physician burnout, citing an AMA study showing how primary care physician turnover adds nearly $1 billion in costs to the healthcare industry. He has raised alarms about drug supply chain shortages and the effects of climate change on chronic disease, among other challenges. Madara is also chairman of Health2047, a wholly owned subsidiary of the AMA focusing on innovation and efforts to address systemic dysfunction in the U.S. healthcare system.