Mark A. Keroack, MD, MPH, president & CEO, Baystate Health, is the 78th Chair of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association Board of Trustees. He succeeds Kate E. Walsh, MPH, president & CEO of Boston Medical Center.

In his inaugural address, Keroack discussed his deep interest in the major policy proposals and other efforts now underway to advance healthcare both statewide and nationally. He also acknowledged that many of these important endeavors are currently overshadowed by disruptive challenges buffeting hospitals, health systems and other care providers. 

“We must reconnect with our core purpose, to remind both our team members and our communities of who we are and what we have always been,” Keroack said. “We need to remind ourselves of our history of being there for our communities for generations, reliably serving all those who need our help, innovating, and caring for the person and not just the disease.  And as we step up, as we find our voice, I believe we will learn something about ourselves and what we share in common.” 

Both Keroack and MHA President & CEO Steve Walsh noted the enormous threat a possible ballot initiative to require rigid, one-size-fits-all nurse staffing ratios poses to Massachusetts hospitals’ ability to provide timely, high-quality patient care.

“Treating every nurse and patient as a number in a ratio will hurt the communities we serve and be disastrous for care quality and access,” said Walsh. “The proposed law does not consider the other clinical staff members that are critical components of a patient care team, or the flexibility medical professionals need to make split-second decisions. It would increase emergency department wait times, and force hospitals to cut programs, services, and beds. Some of our most vulnerable community hospitals would have no choice but to eliminate units, or close entirely. It’s a terrible idea that would decimate the Massachusetts healthcare ecosystem.”

At Thursday’s annual meeting, MHA's board leadership team was announced for 2018-2019: 

Officers
Chair: Mark A. Keroack, MD, MPH, president & CEO, Baystate Health, Inc.
Chair-elect: Bruce S. Auerbach, MD, FACEP, president & CEO, Sturdy Memorial  Hospital
Treasurer: Joseph A. White, MBA, FACHE, president & CEO, Lowell General Hospital and Circle Health
Secretary: Eric W. Dickson, MD, MHCM, FACEP, president & CEO, UMass Memorial Health Care 
Immediate
Past Chair: Kate E. Walsh, MPH, president & CEO, Boston Medical Center
Past Chair Most 
Recently Retired: Keith A. Hovan, president & CEO, Southcoast Health

Trustees-at-large

Class of 2019:
• Philip M. Cormier; CEO, Beverly Hospital and Northeast Health System
• Andrew S. Freed; corporator, Strategic Planning Committee member, MelroseWakefield Healthcare and CEO, Virtual, Inc.
• Joanne Fucile, RN, MSN, CRRN; president, Organization of Nurse Leaders and VP, Operations & Dir., Nursing, Spaulding Hospital for Continuing Medical Care Cambridge
• Kim Hollon, FACHE; president & CEO, Signature Healthcare Brockton Hospital
• David E. Phelps, MBA; president & CEO, Berkshire Health Systems 
• Michael J. Sheehy, MD; chief of population health & analytics, Reliant Medical Group
• Deborah K. Weymouth, MBA, FACHE; president & CEO, UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital
• Michael J. Widmer; Retired – past president, Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
• Louis J. Woolf; president & CEO, Hebrew SeniorLife

Class of 2021:
• Peter J. Healy, MHA; president, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Michael K. Lauf, MBA; president & CEO, Cape Cod Healthcare and Cape Cod Hospital
• Kevin Tabb, MD; CEO, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center 
• David F. Torchiana, MD; president & CEO, Partners HealthCare System
        Selection of a candidate to fill the seat designated to an expert on public health or community health, a one-year term, is in process.

These nominees will join MHA President & CEO Steve Walsh, and the following current Board members with unexpired terms:

• Maureen Banks, FACHE, MBA, MS, RN; COO, Spaulding Rehabilitation Network and president, Spaulding Hospital for Continuing Medical Care Cambridge & Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital Cape Cod
• Kevin B. Churchwell, MD, E.V.P., Health Affairs & COO, Boston Children’s Hospital
• Ruth Ellen Fitch, Esq.; Trustee, Boston Medical Center 
• Gene E. Green, MD, MBA, president & CEO, South Shore Health System
• Michael L. Gustafson, MD, MBA; president, Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital
• Edward J. Kelly; president & CEO, Milford Regional Medical Center
• Joanne Marqusee; president & CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health 
• Christine C. Schuster, RN, MBA; president & CEO, Emerson Hospital 
• Michael Wagner, MD, FACP; chief physician executive, Wellforce