

That’s a good thing, given the cost of health care in the state, while at the same time the challenges we have with access in the ER and primary care. “She will understand it better than the person sitting across the table.

“Some people say it’s a win for health care systems, but there will be no pulling the wool over Kate Walsh’s eyes when it comes to health care finance reform,” Dickson said. Eric Dickson, CEO of UMass Memorial Health.

Her knowledge of the industry won’t mean she will forgo pressing hospitals for change, said Dr. In her role as secretary, Walsh will also sit on the state’s Health Policy Commission, and will have to navigate her ties to the hospital industry while the commission pursues price caps for the highest-priced providers - an effort to constrain health care spending growth. Her background will provide solid footing as the state continues to work with a health care sector still struggling in the midst of a pandemic, beset by staffing shortages and financial challenges. Walsh earned her bachelor’s degree and a Master of Public Health from Yale University. Her biography on BMC’s website notes that she is a board member of the American Hospital Association, Boston Public Health Commission, Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association, Association of American Medical Colleges, America’s Essential Hospitals, Pine Street Inn, and Yale University. She previously served as executive vice president and chief operating officer of Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and held senior leadership positions at Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Montefiore Medical Center, Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, Saint Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital Center, and the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation. Related : Here’s who else Maura Healey has picked to fill her Cabinetīeyond her experience at Boston Medical Center, Walsh’s background includes a wide swath of the industry. With a combined budget of more than $27 billion, the department accounts for over half of the state’s spending, touching on everything from children in protective custody to elder affairs. Walsh’s appointment places her at the helm of the state’s largest single department, which includes over 12 agencies, two soldiers’ homes, and the state’s Medicaid program. Mary Beckman, who was appointed acting secretary of HHS, will ultimately serve as senior adviser to Walsh. The system said in a statement that he will lead the national search for a new hospital president. Alastair Bell, president of BMC Health System, will serve as Interim CEO when Walsh begins her government tenure. “Together, we will work to advance racial health equity, address affordability, spur innovative solutions to our health care challenges, and ensure that people live healthy lives.”ĭr. “This is a critical moment for our state, as we continue to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, widening health disparities, skyrocketing healthcare costs and a devastating behavioral health crisis,” Walsh said in a statement. She ran not only the 514-bed Boston hospital that serves a large portion of patients on government insurance, but also WellSense Health Plan, formerly BMC HealthNet Plan, which serves a large population of MassHealth patients. Walsh, who will start her new position on March 1, comes to the role after a 13-year run as the head of Boston Medical Center Health System - one of the longest-serving health system CEOs in the state.
