The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization of employers and other purchasers focused on health care safety and quality, in partnership with Costs of Care, a leading nonprofit dedicated to cultivating change agents who will lead the creation of a more affordable and equitable health system, are now accepting nominations for the annual Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO. This award was created to recognize a hospital and/or health system CEO who has demonstrated courageous and ethical leadership addressing the twin issues of affordability and quality of health care in their community. The recipient of this year's award will be prominently recognized at The Leapfrog Group's Annual Meeting and Awards Dinner, which will take place in-person on December 17, 2024 in Washington, D.C.
Past recipients of the Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO include:
- Charles Holland, President and CEO of St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago
- J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President and CEO of Inova Health System in Northern Virginia
- Joanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and President of Dartmouth Health in New Hampshire
- Carl S. Armato, President and CEO of Novant Health in North Carolina
- John A. DiAngelo, former President and CEO of Inspira Health in New Jersey
- Gary S. Kaplan, MD, former Chairman and CEO of Virginia Mason in Seattle, Washington
The Outstanding Healthcare CEO award is named in honor of Steven Schroeder, MD, Distinguished Professor of Health and Health Care at the University of California San Francisco and former President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Schroeder has spent five decades inspiring and mentoring leaders to forcefully advocate for better quality and more affordable health care, and he has inspired leaders of both Costs of Care and The Leapfrog Group.
"As health insurance erodes after the COVID era subsidies ended, too many families are facing bankruptcy as a result of staggering hospital bills. At the same time, prices continue their relentless upward surge, and hospital CEOs are pressured by their boards to increase margin by raising volume and charges," said Dr. Schroeder. "It takes a courageous leader to resist those pressures by working to restrain medical costs. Previous winners of this award have demonstrated that kind of courage. Who will follow their examples?"
Last year's Steven Schroeder Award was presented to Charles Holland, President and CEO of St. Bernard Hospital, an independent, Catholic safety-net community hospital proudly serving residents of the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. "Being recognized with the Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO was an honor that shines a light on the values that the entire St. Bernard Hospital community lives by and the principles that guide our policies and actions. Addressing health inequity issues within the South Side Chicago communities we serve is the highest priority for us. Our entire team strives to provide the same safe, high quality patient care that patients expect at larger, well-resourced hospitals, even when the cost of care is beyond our patients' resources. The Steven Schroeder Award energized us to advance that commitment through advocacy and dedication to our mission," said Mr. Holland.
"Moral leadership from CEOs is necessary to put in place policies and systems that ensure people within their care are not forced to choose between their life and their life savings," stated Chris Moriates, MD, Executive Director of Costs of Care. "This award hopes to show other CEOs what's possible and right."
"We are privileged to honor another exceptional CEO this year with this prestigious award. Every patient deserves nothing less than exemplary care, and leaders who prioritize patients exhibit unwavering dedication to advancing patient safety around the clock. Equally crucial is their commitment to delivering this level of care affordably. Thank you to those leaders who truly put patients first," said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group.
Nominations for the Steven Schroeder Award will be accepted through October 15th, 2024 – nominees must be CEOs for hospital and/or health systems that reported to the 2024 Leapfrog Hospital or ASC Survey. For more information on how to nominate a CEO for the prestigious Steven Schroeder Award, please visit the Costs of Care website.