Edward Ellison, MD, named to Modern Healthcare’s ‘100 Most Influential People in Healthcare’ for 2019

Edward Ellison, MD, co-CEO of The Permanente Federation, today was named to Modern Healthcare’s annual list of the “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” for 2019.  Dr. Ellison was recognized for providing strategic leadership to the Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs), where he holds various executive roles. The award also cites his role as executive sponsor and board member of the Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine, which opens in summer 2020.

Dr. Ellison, along with co-CEO Richard Isaacs, MD, FACS, helps lead the work of all 8 self-governed, physician-led PMGs whose nearly 23,000 physicians provide care for more than 12.2 million Kaiser Permanente members and patients in 8 states and the District of Columbia. The PMGs, with Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Hospitals, comprise Kaiser Permanente. Dr. Ellison also serves as executive medical director and chairman of the board, Southern California Permanente Medical Group; and chairman and CEO, The Southeast Permanente Medical Group in Georgia.

This prestigious recognition program acknowledges and honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential individuals in the industry, in terms of leadership and impact.

“I’m honored to be recognized as a leader in health care who is driving change to improve health and health care in America,” says Dr. Ellison. “This recognition is a tribute to the physicians, nurses, clinicians, and all team members who through the practice of Permanente Medicine and our Kaiser Permanente system of care provide high-quality integrated health care that’s a model for the entire industry.”

Since 2012, Dr. Ellison has led the Southern California Permanente Medical Group, one of the largest self-governing medical groups in the country, consisting of more than 7,600 physicians caring for over 4.6 million Kaiser Permanente members in 231 medical offices and 15 hospitals across Southern California. Under his leadership, the high-performing medical group has achieved top marks in clinical quality measures and operational success.

Dr. Ellison has been an outspoken leader on medical excellence, health care transformation, closing gaps in health care outcomes in diverse populations, and the power of equity, inclusion, and diversity. A passionate advocate for physician wellness and resilience, Dr. Ellison has raised awareness of the epidemic of physician burnout and suicide and has advocated for change to improve the health and well-being of all those providing care.

Additional Kaiser Permanente leaders on the Modern Healthcare 2019 list include: the late Bernard J. Tyson, chairman and CEO, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals, honored posthumously as the second most influential person and the highest ranking private sector leader following Seema Verma, the administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Bechara Choucair, MD, senior vice president and chief community health officer, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals; and Mark Schuster, MD, founding dean and CEO, Kaiser Permanente Bernard J. Tyson School of Medicine.

“This year’s selection process was contentious and difficult,” says Aurora Aguilar, Modern Healthcare editor. “The honorees chosen this year by Modern Healthcare and our readers are those who were fearless in their risky strategies and unapologetic in their rationale. Whether you agree with the compiled list or not, you can’t argue with the influence of these 100 healthcare leaders. Congratulations to those honorees.”  

To view the complete list and read their profiles, visit the Modern Healthcare site.

About The Permanente Federation

The Permanente Federation LLC (the Federation) is the national leadership and consulting organization for the eight Permanente Medical Groups (PMGs), which, together with the Kaiser Foundation Health Plans and Kaiser Foundation Hospitals, comprise Kaiser Permanente. The Federation works on behalf of the PMGs to optimize care delivery and spread Permanente Medicine – medicine that is person- and family-centered, compassionate, evidence-based, technology-enabled, culturally responsive, team delivered, and physician led. The Federation, based in Oakland, California, fosters an open learning environment and accelerates research, innovation, and performance improvements across the PMGs to expand the reach of Kaiser Permanente’s integrated care delivery model and to lead the nation in transforming care delivery.