Dr Ram Raju, an Indian-origin doctor and former chief executive officer of the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation, has been named the senior vice president and community health investment officer at Northwell Health – New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals and over 550 outpatient facilities.
Dr Raju will assess programmes that enhance the health system's ability to respond to needy, evaluate the needs of the most vulnerable communities Northwell Health serves and collaborate with community-based organisations to create problem-solving solutions.
“Northwell Health created a position that enables me to pursue my passionate interest in improving population health and addressing the social determinants of health,” Dr Raju said in a statement.
He said his new role will enable him to promote, sustain and advance an environment that supports equity and diversity.
Named among the most influential people in healthcare by Modern Healthcare magazine in 2014, Dr Raju was the president and CEO at the NYC Health and Hospitals Corp. from January 2014 to November 2016.
He served as CEO for the Cook County Health and Hospitals System in Chicago from 2011 to 2014.
“Ram's vast experience, deep commitment to caring for vulnerable communities and a keen understanding of New York's health care delivery system make him the ideal individual to lead our efforts,” said Michael J. Dowling, Northwell Health president and CEO.
MBA from the University of Tennessee, Raju is a graduate from the Madras Medical College in India. He was also elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in England.