Kate E. Walsh, president & CEO of Boston Medical Center, is the 77th Chair of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association Board of Trustees. She succeeds Keith Hovan, president & CEO of Southcoast Health in New Bedford.
In her inaugural address, Walsh discussed the chaos and disruption that have buffeted healthcare organizations in recent years, and noted Massachusetts healthcare leaders’ commitment to providing the best possible care in the communities they serve.
“We sometimes have differences, but what divides us are details not values," Walsh said. “Every day we have the chance to make a difference to patients and families – often on their toughest days. In the jobs we do, we have the chance to ask our patients not just ‘What’s the matter with you?’ but ‘What matters to you?’”
Walsh and Hovan also surprised retiring MHA President & CEO Lynn Nicholas, FACHE, with this MHA-created video featuring messages of congratulations and appreciation from healthcare leaders, Governor Baker, and other political and business leaders from across the state and the country.
At Thursday’s annual meeting, MHA's board leadership team was announced for 2017-2018:
The officers are:
Chair: Kate E. Walsh, president & CEO, Boston Medical Center
Chair-elect: Mark A. Keroack, M.D., president & CEO, Baystate Health
Treasurer: Bruce S. Auerbach, M.D., president & CEO, Sturdy Memorial Hospital
Secretary: Joseph A. White, FACHE; president & CEO, Lowell General Hospital and CEO, Circle Health
Immediate Past Chair: Keith A. Hovan; president & CEO, Southcoast Health
Past Chair Most Recently Retired: David E. Phelps, president & CEO, Berkshire Health Systems
MHA’s board members are:
Maureen Banks, FACHE, R.N.; president, Spaulding Hospital for Continuing Medical Care Cambridge & Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod and COO, Partners Continuing Care & Spaulding Rehabilitation Network; Kevin B. Churchwell, M.D., E.V.P., Health Affairs & COO, Boston Children’s Hospital; Philip M. Cormier; CEO, Beverly Hospital and Northeast Health System; Eric W. Dickson, M.D., president & CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care; Ruth Ellen Fitch, Esq.; Trustee, Boston Medical Center; Andrew S. Freed; Corporator, Strategic Planning Committee member, Hallmark Health System and president, Virtual, Inc.; Joanne Fucile, R.N., president-elect, Organization of Nurse Leaders and VP, Hospital Operations & Dir., Nursing, Spaulding Hospital for Continuing Medical Care Cambridge; Howard R. Grant, J.D., M.D., president & CEO, Lahey Health System; Gene E. Green, M.D., president & CEO, South Shore Health System; Michael L. Gustafson, M.D., president, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital; Trish L. Hannon, FACHE; president & CEO, New England Baptist Hospital; Kim Hollon, FACHE; president & CEO, Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital ; Edward J. Kelly; president & CEO, Milford Regional Medical Center; Joanne Marqusee; president & CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health; Christine C. Schuster, R.N., president & CEO, Emerson Hospital; Michael J. Sheehy, M.D.; chief of population health & analytics, Reliant Medical Group; Kevin Tabb, M.D.; CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center; David F. Torchiana, M.D.; president & CEO, Partners HealthCare System; Trissa Torres, M.D., chief operations & North America programs officer, Institute for Healthcare Improvement; Michael Wagner, M.D., president & CEO, Tufts Medical Center; Deborah K. Weymouth, FACHE; president & CEO, HealthAlliance Hospitals; Michael J. Widmer; retired – past president, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation; Louis J. Woolf; president & CEO, Hebrew SeniorLife.