March 20, 2017
WASHINGTON, DC—The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) is proud to announce a new addition to its Board of Directors—Benjamin K. Chu, MD, President and CEO of Memorial Hermann Health System.
Dr. Chu is a nationally recognized leader in the health care industry, with more than four decades of health care and leadership experience as a physician, administrator and policy advocate. In 2016, Dr. Chu became the first physician to lead Memorial Hermann Health System.
Prior to joining Memorial Hermann, Dr. Chu was group president for Kaiser Permanente’s Southern California and Georgia regions. A notable accomplishment during his tenure was implementation of a fully integrated electronic health record system and population health management tools for improving outcomes for patient care.
Throughout his career, Dr. Chu has been recognized nationally for his innovative thought leadership in the health care industry. In 2015, he was elected to the National Academy of Medicine, one of the highest honors in the fields of health and medicine. He was also recognized as one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders in 2015, and in previous years, as one of its 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare.
“Dr. Chu brings in-depth experience in quality and patient safety, physician integration and population health to the NCQA Board,” said NCQA president, Margaret E. O’Kane. “We are excited to have Dr. Chu on the board, and we look forward to his contribution to our work addressing the issues of measurement, transparency and accountability in health care. “
“I’m honored to serve on the board of NCQA which aims to improve the overall health care experience,” said Dr. Chu. “Throughout my career, I have been a fierce advocate for patients, with a focus on delivering the safest and highest quality of care possible. I’m thrilled for the opportunity to work with the NCQA and its board to find innovative ways in which we can improve patient care for all.”
NCQA is governed by an independent Board of Directors composed of 16 members and the NCQA president. The board includes representatives from purchasers, clinicians, public policy experts, consumer groups and health systems, representing a multi-stakeholder perspective for improving health care system quality through delivery system reform and transparency.