Pollack named next AHA president and CEO

The AHA board today announced Rick Pollack will be the association’s next president and CEO. Pollack, currently AHA’s executive vice president for advocacy and public policy, will succeed Rich Umbdenstock, who will retire at the end of 2015. “Rick brings the right mix of skills to this role,” said AHA Chairman Jonathan B. Perlin, M.D., who is president of clinical services and chief medical officer of the Nashville-based HCA. “His effective advocacy combined with his passion and commitment to the mission of hospitals and the men and women who work there will serve the association well. He will build on the many strengths of the past and ably lead the association into the future.”

Following his introduction as the AHA’s next president and CEO at the AHA's annual meeting, Pollack called on hospital leaders to deliver a message of regulatory relief, reform and resources in their meetings this week with legislators and staff on Capitol Hill. He said hospitals need relief from burdensome and confusing audits, regulations and paperwork requirements; reforms that remove the outdated regulations and administrative red tape hindering hospitals’ ability to navigate a changing health care landscape; and resources that ensure “hospitals have the funding necessary to meet our responsibilities to the patients and communities we serve.” All hospitals are on a “journey in transforming the health care in this country and redefining the ‘H,’” Pollack said. “Wherever this journey takes us, we will endure because the ‘H’ will always mean healing and hope…will always be critical to the health of all Americans…and a key strength in our country’s future.”