100 Most Influential People in Healthcare - 2023

Since Thomas joined Sutter Health in 2022, the organization has launched an aggressive expansion plan to add 25 new ambulatory care centers and 126 acute-care beds within the next three years. The health system also bought Santa Barbara, California-based Sansum Clinic; hired 280 new physicians; and committed to quadrupling the training capacity of its graduate medical education program to 900 residents each year. In October, the company announced plans for an innovation center to open by early 2024. Sutter also invested in Define Ventures, a venture capital firm that focuses on digital health startups. Thomas moved to Sutter Health after 10 years as president and CEO of Ochsner Health in New Orleans. He is a member of the American Hospital Association’s Board of Trustees.