July 2, 2021
Dr. Richard Isaacs honored by Modern Healthcare
The Permanente Medical Group’s CEO and executive director is again on the list of 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives.
Dr. Isaacs has been recognized for exceptional leadership during the pandemic.
Richard S. Isaacs, MD, FACS, CEO and executive director of The Permanente Medical Group, has again been recognized by Modern Healthcare on its list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. The annual recognition acknowledges clinicians working in the health care industry who are selected by their peers and an expert panel for demonstrating exceptional leadership and impact.
“This honor acknowledges the expertise, innovative spirit, dedication, and courage of our physicians and staff who cared for patients who most needed it during the coronavirus pandemic,” said Dr. Isaacs, who was also named to Modern Healthcare’s list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives in 2020 and 2018. “This accolade underscores our commitment to delivering the right care, at the right time, in the right place.”
Dr. Isaacs also serves as president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Permanente Medical Group and co-CEO of The Permanente Federation. The Permanente Federation is the national leadership and consulting organization for the 8 Permanente Medical Groups, which care for approximately 12.5 million Kaiser Permanente members across the country.
Modern Healthcare highlighted the innovative care delivery model that physicians and staff at Kaiser Permanente implemented during the pandemic under Dr. Isaacs’ leadership to meet rapidly changing patient needs in the face of extreme public health, societal, and financial challenges.
These innovations included Dr. Isaacs’ implementation of a Video Care First strategy, which included a swift and smooth shift to video visits. This strategy was especially critical in the early response to COVID-19 because video provides a face-to-face connection with the physician that patients need and appreciate, particularly during a time of significant isolation resulting from physical distancing and stay-at-home orders.
“The 2021 class of 50 Most Influential Clinician Executives did not shy away from the challenges of caring for patient populations during a pandemic,” said Modern Healthcare editor Aurora Aguilar. “They found inspiration in knocking down hurdles and fighting for top-quality care for their patients and staff. They improved cancer screening outcomes by incorporating in-home test kits, and secured more diversity for future clinician ranks. Modern Healthcare congratulates this class and appreciates their hard work.”
