Wisconsin Hospital Association: Dr. Mark Kaufman named WHA chief medical officer

The Wisconsin Hospital Association (WHA) announced today that Dr. Mark Kaufman will become its next Chief Medical Officer (CMO).   Kaufman will join the WHA team on November 1, succeeding WHA’s long-time CMO Dr. Chuck Shabino, who is retiring at the end of 2018.

 

“Dr. Kaufman is an accomplished and widely respected physician leader who brings over four decades of physician leadership and engagement to the WHA team,” said WHA President and CEO Eric Borgerding.  “Mark’s extensive experience and notable achievements in the clinical and administrative elements of health systems, health plans and physician group practices are a perfect match for WHA as we continue to grow our agenda beyond the hospital walls.”

 

Prior to joining WHA, Kaufman held key leadership roles with Dean Health System, Dean Clinic and Dean Health Plan.  While with Dean Clinic, Kaufman served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, with oversight of all medical services to Dean patients and responsibility for the leadership, engagement, and management of all Dean Health System physicians and advanced practice clinicians.  Among his duties as CMO of Dean Health Plan, one of the state’s largest HMOs with more than 400,000 covered lives, Kaufman was responsible for creating and sustaining relationships with the health plan’s contracted physicians and health systems.  Kaufman also chaired the Dean Heath System Board of Directors and served as its Interim President and CEO in 2006. 

 

Most recently, Kaufman has been a sought-after consultant, assisting clients, such as the Wisconsin Collaborative for Health Care Quality and the Wisconsin Health Information Organization, with various aspects of public reporting, quality improvement, practice transformation and reducing unwanted clinical practice variation.

 

As WHA CMO, Kaufman will be the lead liaison to WHA’s CMO community and Wisconsin-based physician leaders.  He will also help to lead, develop and execute WHA’s growing integrated physician and clinic agenda.  Kaufman, an internal medicine physician, received his B.A. from the University of Michigan, his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and completed his internal medicine residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals.

 

“I look forward to joining the immensely talented WHA team and helping WHA to improve the quality and value of healthcare for all Wisconsin citizens,” said Dr. Kaufman.

 

Dr. Chuck Shabino to Retire

Dr. Chuck Shabino joined WHA in 2006 as the organizations’ first Chief Medical Officer.  Prior to coming to WHA, Shabino was the CMO for Aspirus Healthcare in Wausau and chaired the WHA Board of Directors in 2004.  During his 12 years as WHA’s CMO, Shabino helped define and shape WHA’s agenda, programming, and strategic partnerships within the physician and caregiver communities.  It’s estimated that as many as 80% of Wisconsin’s physicians are employed by WHA member hospitals and health systems, and during Shabino’ s tenure, hospital and health system physician leaders have become a key voice at the WHA table. 

 

“Dr. Shabino has been instrumental in growing and expanding WHA’s agenda and engagement with physicians and physician leaders within today’s systems of health care,” said Borgerding.  “One cannot overstate the impact Chuck has had on WHA, helping us always look forward and position our organization to remain impactful and relevant in an environment of constant change.  We are immensely grateful for his passion, insights, instincts, wisdom and counsel.  Chuck has made an indelible mark on Wisconsin health care and his influence on WHA will be felt for years to come.”

 

Among his many accomplishments at WHA, Shabino played a lead role in the creation of CheckPoint, the nation’s first-of-its-kind voluntary hospital quality reporting initiative, now entering its 15th year.  His work with CheckPoint helped change the dialogue, culture and ultimately embrace of quality of care public reporting.  

 

Shabino has been a leading advocate for growing Wisconsin’s health care workforce, with a particular focus on physicians.  He played a key role in crafting and now implementing the WHA-initiated Graduate Medical Education matching grant program, a very successful public-private partnership that is educating and training more primary care physicians for Wisconsin.  Shabino leads WHA’s Physician Leaders Council, plays a lead role in developing and implementing WHA’s annual Physician Leadership Conference, and helped create the Wisconsin Council on Medical Education and Workforce (WCMEW), serving as WCMEW’s first and only chair since 2006.   

 

“We all have much to be proud of in Wisconsin consistently ranking among the highest states in regards to its quality of health care.  This is the result of real teamwork among patients, health care systems, providers, government and others,” Shabino said.  “I am grateful to have been given the opportunity to participate in a small way in these efforts.  This work goes on and I am certain the efforts of the many will continue to push the health of Wisconsinites to new heights.”

 

Shabino will remain with WHA through the end of 2018.