Dr. Jonathan B. Perlin, a leader in healthcare quality and information technology, will become the seventh president and CEO of the Joint Commission beginning March 1, 2022.
Perlin will continue his role as clinical operations & chief medical officer at HCA Healthcare through the end of the year.
"Jonathan is a nationally recognized leader and expert in quality improvement," said Mark Chassin, current President and CEO of The Joint Commission in a news release. "I know that he will continue to transform The Joint Commission's critical work to improve patient safety and quality of care in health care organizations across the country and around the world."
Chassin announced in May that he was leaving after his contract ended this year.
At HCA Healthcare, Perlin heads a team of clinicians and data scientists working on setting clinical and professional policy, implementing clinical data tools, and improving care outcomes. In 2019, his team won the John Eisenberg Award for National Innovation for improving sepsis detection and survival.
Before he joined HCA Healthcare in 2006, Perlin served as under secretary for health in the U.S. Veterans Affairs Department, implementing electronic health records and establishing his lengthy career in healthcare.
Perlin eventually became chair of the Secretary of Veterans Affairs' Special Medical Advisory Group, and in 2014 he served as senior advisor to the secretary to assist with improving operations, accelerating health access and rebuilding trust in U.S. veterans.
He has been on several boards and commissions, including The Joint Commission from 2007 to 2010 and the National Patient Safety Foundation. In 2015, he served as chair of the American Hospital Association board. In 2009, Perlin was appointed as the inaugural chair of the Department of Health and Human Services Health IT Standards Committee.
Currently, Perlin serves on the Board of Meharry Medical College, a historically black graduate institution, the Columbia University Mailman School Health Policy and Management National Advisory Board and the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Board of Visitors. He is also chair of the National Quality Forum. He also serves on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission.
"I am honored to have the opportunity to work with members of The Joint Commission community, including many government colleagues, and health services partners domestically and abroad in driving higher performance, more equitable and higher value healthcare," Perlin said in a press release.
Due to his in-depth understanding and knowledge of different parts of the healthcare industry, Perlin will make an "outstanding president and CEO," said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association in a statement congratulating Perlin on his new role.
In addition to his other roles, Perlin is an elected member of the National Academy of Medicine where he co-chairs the "Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic," and the "Digital Health Action Collaborative of the Consortium on Value and Science-Driven Healthcare."
He has faculty appointments as well, at Vanderbilt University as a clinical professor of Medicine and Biomedical Informatics and at Virginia Commonwealth University as an adjunct professor of Health Administration.
Modern Healthcare has regularly named Perlin as one of the nation's most influential clinical executives. He has also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from his alma mater, the Chairman's Medal from the National Patient Safety Foundation, the Founders Medal from the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States. Perlin is one of a few honorary members of the Special Forces Association and Green Berets.
During his education, Perlin received his P.h.D. in pharmacology and his M.D. as part of the Physician Scientist Training Program at the Medical College of Virginia of Virginia Commonwealth University. Perlin is a Master of the American College of Physicians and Fellow of the American College of Medical Informatics. He has a Master of Science in Health Administration as well.
"His work and dedication to quality care and safety cause leaves an indelible mark on HCA Healthcare and the Federation of American Hospitals," said Chip Kahn, president and CEO of the Federation of American Hospitals, in a tweet. "He will be missed. Looking forward to continuing our collaboration in his new role, as we strive to bring high quality care and safety to hospital patients across [the] U.S."
