I’ve been privileged to work for Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island (BCBSRI) for the last 20 years. During that time, my role has changed several times, including my most recent role as executive vice president and chief medical officer. I’ve had the good fortune to partner with so many throughout our state’s healthcare system, working closely with participating providers, hospitals, key accounts, and other healthcare organizations.

Those relationships that we’ve formed have helped us to reach many significant achievements, most notably the development of a hospital quality program, the creation and adoption of electronic health records, the establishment of patient-centered medical homes, and now, the evolution of systems of care. It’s truly been an honor to be able to make so much positive change for our members and for the healthcare system in Rhode Island, with a focus on improving quality and reducing cost of care.

And now, my role has changed again.

Effective 1 de octubre, I have taken on the brand new role of clinical consultant. Reporting directly to our new executive vice president and chief medical officer Matt Collins, M.D. (more on Matt below), in my new role I’ll be the physician advisor to our special investigations unit, chair the physician performance advisory committee, and advise our sales team and key accounts around issues of cost, utilization, and quality. Best of all, I’ll continue to take advantage of the relationships I’ve been able to build with all of you in our provider community. I’m looking forward to this next chapter in my BCBSRI career.

I’ve always made it a point to put the needs of our members first and foremost. And I can definitively say, after working closely with Matt for the last four years, that he embodies that same commitment to our members. Many of you already know Matt, who will now have responsibility for our overall medical management, which includes care, utilization, and behavioral health management. His focus and goal is to ensure our members get the right care, at the right time, in the right setting, while also leading our efforts to control the increase of medical expenses.

Matt’s background as a primary care physician and as one of our medical directors—coupled with his experience designing and implementing care models across commercial, Medicare, and Medicaid populations—make him a perfect fit for this critical role. Matt has made tremendous progress in the area of medical expense trend since joining BCBSRI in 2015 – under his leadership, we launched our first ever provider medical expense trend summit, soliciting ideas from you on how best to address healthcare affordability.

Please join me in welcoming Matt to his new position. We’re extremely fortunate to have someone of his caliber join our executive leadership team, and I personally feel fortunate to work closely with him. Together with our participating providers, we’re well positioned to continue our important work as we passionately lead a state of health and well-being across Rhode Island.

I want to thank you for your support and partnership over the last several years. I’m excited to continue working with you in new and different ways.