Current market president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals in Hawaii, Greg Christian, to retire and pass the torch to Ed Chan.
HONOLULU — Kaiser Permanente of Hawaii, the state’s largest integrated health care organization, announces its new president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals in Hawaii, Edmund “Ed” Chan. He joins the Hawaii market after serving as the senior vice president and area manager for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals East Bay, one of the largest Kaiser Permanente service areas in Northern California.
“I am thrilled to welcome Ed to our Hawaii operations. His proven abilities and passion for bringing high-quality, value-based care and exceptional experiences for our members, patients and communities is fully aligned with the dedication of our Hawaii teams,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, BSN, MHA, regional president for Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals of Southern California and Hawaii. “One of Greg Christian’s legacies is his collaborative leadership style, and that is also a quality that Ed has demonstrated over the last decade with his Kaiser Permanente physician partners and area teams. I am confident Ed will bring that level of excellence to our high-performing care teams in Hawaii.”
Chan’s roots in Hawaii began early in his career. In 2000, after completing his training in Boston to become a registered dietitian , he accepted a position as a clinical dietitian for Hale Makua Health Services in Kahului, Maui. Chan also took on roles at the Community Clinic of Maui and served as a consultant dietitian to Maui Youth and Family Services.
“My wife, Mina, and I are very excited to return to Hawaii. It was here that we met, and we are blessed to have many family members and friends in this wonderful community. Knowing the importance for the people of Hawaii to have access to high-quality, safe, and affordable health care motivates me to be here, and to work hard every day to advance the mission of Kaiser Permanente in Hawaii,” said Chan.
In 2003, Chan joined Aramark Corporation, a provider of health care ancillary services to hospitals and health systems across the U.S., as food and nutrition director and later as general manager of support services at Wahiawa General Hospital on Oahu. Chan’s passion for hospital operations quickly became evident as he worked with hospital leaders to strengthen the hospital’s impact and ability to care for the surrounding community.
After serving in Hawaii, he also had the opportunity to work with teams throughout the country at prestigious academic medical centers such as UC San Diego Health, Vanderbilt University Health System, and the Duke University Health System.
Having joined Kaiser Permanente in 2014, Chan brings more than a decade of successful leadership experience gained in Northern California, serving in several leadership roles. Most recently, he and his teams transformed the operations of the East Bay area to become one of the health care organization’s highest-performing service areas.
Chan succeeds Greg Christian, who has been serving as the Hawaii market president since 2020 and is retiring in May. Christian is leaving after a highly respected 40-year career in health care, including 28 years leading various service areas of Kaiser Permanente. For the past three years, Christian has been working in partnership with Hawaii Permanente Medical Group to support, inspire and leverage the talents and expertise of more than 4,300 employees and 700 Hawaii Permanente Medical Group physicians, providers and staff to meet the health needs of Kaiser Permanente of Hawaii’s 270,000 members.
"Greg’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Lahaina wildfires had a powerful impact on health care in Hawaii and the recovery effort on Maui,” said John Yang, MD, president and medical director, Hawaii Permanente Medical Group. “I’m looking forward to working with Ed to ensure our Kaiser Permanente Hawaii members continue to receive the highest-quality care and service. Having already worked as a clinician in Hawaii, including on Oahu and Maui, Ed understands and appreciates the unique challenges that come with delivering exceptional health care in an island state.”
Chan will officially start this new role on April 28, and Christian will retire on May 1.
Kaiser Permanente is committed to helping shape the future of health care. We are recognized as one of America’s leading health care providers and not-for-profit health plans. Founded in 1945, Kaiser Permanente has a mission to provide high-quality, affordable health care services and to improve the health of our members and the communities we serve. We currently serve 12.6 million members in 8 states and the District of Columbia. Care for members and patients is focused on their total health and guided by their personal Permanente Medical Group physicians, specialists, and team of caregivers. Our expert and caring medical teams are empowered and supported by industry-leading technology advances and tools for health promotion, disease prevention, state-of-the-art care delivery, and world-class chronic disease management. Kaiser Permanente is dedicated to care innovations, clinical research, health education, and the support of community health.