Becker's Hospital Review Names Scripps’ Van Gorder Among Most Powerful People in Health Care

Becker’s Hospital Review has named Scripps Health’s President and CEO Chris Van Gorder one of the 40 of the most powerful people in health care in its January-February edition. This list recognizes leaders who have shaped the health care industry with their policy work, clinical research, company leadership and commentary, among other contributions.

This recognition follows Van Gorder’s listing as No. 18 on Modern Healthcare’s annual ranking of the nation’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare, published last year.

“As president and CEO of San Diego-based Scripps Health since 2000, Chris Van Gorder has led the non-profit health system through a series of financial and culture changes, positioning the system as one of the nation’s leading health providers,” the Becker’s Hospital Review listing states. “When Mr. Van Gorder was appointed CEO in 1999, Scripps Health was losing $15 million a year, and the management had recently received a ‘no-confidence’ vote from its medical staff. Mr. Van Gorder responded to the crisis by implementing a physician leadership cabinet, building strategic alliances and pushing a more transparent management style. Through a joint venture with North American Medical Management California, Scripps Health recently formed an integrated delivery network with seven physician groups in San Diego County that is organized to respond to alternative care management agreements.”

In addition to his duties with Scripps Health, Van Gorder is the immediate past chairman of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE), an international professional society of more than 30,000 health care executives.

Van Gorder also serves as a commissioner on the California Commission on Emergency Medical Services. Under his leadership, Scripps Health worked with the state of California’s Emergency Medical Services Authority to develop the internal operations structure for the state’s recently purchased mobile field hospitals, to be used in the event of mass casualties from natural disasters or terrorist events. Van Gorder is also serving his third term as a commissioner to the United States Commission for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

Many onlookers have called the current state of the health care industry a “perfect storm,” where governmental mandates, financial pressures, technological developments and changing patient demographics combine to create confusion and uncertainty. The list’s 40 most powerful people have influenced the changing world of healthcare over the past year by developing and pioneering new models of care, creating ties between competing providers, hospitals and health systems and emphasizing the importance of patient-centered research and care, among other accomplishments. The individuals included range from health system CEOs to presidential candidates to insurance company moguls.

In order to compile this list, the Becker’s Hospital Review editorial team analyzed the most important healthcare events, issues and discussions of the past year and thereby determined which individuals had the most impact on the industry. The final list of “powerful people” was analyzed by a panel of healthcare experts.

The full list, in alphabetical order, can be read here: 40 of the Most Powerful People in Healthcare

About Scripps Health

Learn more about Scripps Health, a nonprofit integrated health system based in San Diego, Calif.