Ruth Williams-Brinkley, president of Kaiser Permanente, has been named by Modern Healthcare as one of 2020’s 100 Most Influential People. The 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. This year’s list was comprised of a record number of women.
“I’m honored by this distinction and would like to take this opportunity to recognize our medical team, staff, and employees who are expertly and compassionately caring for our members, patients, and community,” said Williams-Brinkley. “They have overcome tremendous circumstances this year and I am incredibly grateful for their service and resilience.”
Under Williams-Brinkley’s leadership, Kaiser Permanente distributed $1.5 million in grants and donations to community organizations focused on addressing homelessness and access to food in 2020. The region’s leading health system also expedited the launch of its Mid-Atlantic Community Network in Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, connecting community members to critical health care and social services like housing, food, employment, behavioral health and utilities assistance. The health system also rapidly expanded telehealth service, with an 800% increase in video visits from 2019 to 2020, and rolled out a new line of products focused on virtual care delivery to leverage Kaiser Permanente’s robust telehealth infrastructure.
“Ruth’s nursing experience gives her great insight into member care and service needs,” said Kim Horn, executive vice president and group president for Kaiser Permanente. “From calling out racism as a public health crisis to addressing the social health of the community, her leadership this year has been invaluable.”
The complete ranking can be found in this week’s issue of Modern Healthcare magazine, and a feature article and profiles of the winners are available here.
To learn more about Ruth Williams-Brinkley, read our article here.
