The Blue Cross Blue Shield Association continued its executive hiring spree on Tuesday, announcing Dr. Adam Myers joined the organization as chief clinical transformation officer in late September and Christina Fischer will come on board as chief financial officer Nov. 1.
With these two new hires, BCBSA has added six new executives since CEO Kim Keck took the helm of the 35-health plan organization in January. BCBSA did not immediately respond to an interview request about why the organization was staffing up its executive team. But the appointments come as the group heightens its focus on health equity.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Dr. Adam Myers and Christina Fisher to the association—they exemplify the spirit of collaboration that's so essential to advancing our collective success," Keck said in a news release. "The addition of their diverse experience and expertise to our executive team will be invaluable as we work to build a new model of affordable, equitable care for the 111 million Americans covered by the Blue system."
In his new role, Myers will work with chief medical officers across BCBS companies to set the system's clinical priorities. He will also lead the organization's Office of Clinical Affairs and BCBS Institute, a subsidiary that aims to research and address healthcare disparities. In April, the not-for-profit association unveiled a national strategy to halve racial disparities in maternal care over five years. Later this year, the group also plans to focus on bridging racial gaps in behavioral health, diabetes diagnoses and cardiovascular conditions.
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Myers comes to BCBSA from the Cleveland Clinic, where he served as chief of population health and director of the health system's community care program. He also led Cleveland Clinic's diversity inclusion and racial equity council. BCBSA did not immediately respond to a request about if this was a new role within the organization.
Fisher, meanwhile, will oversee BCBSA's finances, informational technology, application development and information security teams as CFO. She will also lead the organization's Blue Venture Fund investment arm. Blue Venture most recently participated in substance use disorder startup's WaySpring's $75 million investment round, and Wider Circle's $38 million Series B round in late September, according to data from Digital Health Business & Technology. Wider Circle aims to use hyperlocal social networks to improve patients' health literacy and outcomes.
Fisher previously served as CFO of the American Hospital Association. Her and Myers' appointments comes as BCBSA beefs up its communications and policy teams.
So far this year, BCBSA hired Sean Robbins to serve as executive vice president of external affairs; Keysha Brooks-Coley as vice president of advocacy; promoted Anshu Choudhri to vice president of policy development and strategy; and named Katie McBreen vice president of communications.