Press Release

Joe McDonald, FACHE, to Chair AHA's Constituency Section for Health Care Systems Council

Joe McDonald, FACHE, president and CEO of Catholic Health System, one of the largest providers of healthcare in Western New York, is the 2017 Council chairman of the American Hospital Association’s (AHA) constituency section for Health Care Systems. This 20-person Council represents AHA’s 250 health system members by participating in AHA’s advocacy, policy and resource development, with a particular focus on strategic opportunities from a health systems perspective.

At Catholic Health System, McDonald leads a team of more than 9,000 associates and 1,600 physicians who are transforming healthcare throughout the region. With operating revenues of $1.02 billion in 2015, Catholic Health System offers a complete continuum of care that includes four hospitals on five campuses; four skilled nursing facilities; three home care agencies; and numerous primary care, diagnostic and treatment, and rehabilitation centers.

During McDonald’s tenure, Catholic Health System has experienced a growth in services, the introduction of advanced technology, improved quality and safety, and a return to fiscal stability. He guided the system’s efforts to improve its financial position, helping the organization finish the last 13 years with a positive operating margin and increase its charity care and community benefit contributions, which totaled more than $99 million in 2015.

A native of Knoxville, Tenn., McDonald received his MBA from the University of Tennessee in Nashville and was named a fellow of the American College of Health Care Executives. He is active on a number of boards, including Canisius College Board of Trustees, WNED Board of Trustees, WNED Foundation Board, the University of Tennessee Knoxville Alumni Board of Directors, the Healthcare Association of New York State (HANYS) Board of Trustees and Executive Committee, and the American Hospital Association (AHA) Health Care Systems Council.

Steven J. Corwin, M.D., president and CEO of NewYork-Presbyterian in New York City, N.Y., is the chairman-elect of the AHA constituency section for Health Care Systems Council and will assume the role of chairman in 2018. Nick W. Turkal, M.D., president and CEO, Aurora Health Care in Milwaukee, WI, is the immediate past chair.

Returning council members are: Carl Armato, president and CEO, Novant Health, Winston-Salem, N.C.; Marna Borgstrom, president and CEO, Yale New Haven Health, New Haven, Conn.; Ruth Brinkley, FACHE, senior vice president, Catholic Health Initiatives and president and CEO, KentuckyOne Health, Louisville, Ky.; Jesus Garza, president and CEO, Seton Healthcare Family and senior vice president, Ascension Health, Texas Ministry Market Executive, Austin, Texas; Richard Gilfillan, M.D., president and CEO, Trinity Health, Livonia, Mich.; David Herman, M.D., CEO, Essentia Health, Duluth, M.N.; Edward Jimenez, CEO, UF Health Shands, Gainesville, FL; Stephen Mansfield, Ph.D., FACHE, president and CEO, Methodist Health System, Dallas, Texas; Barry H. Ostrowsky, president and CEO, RWJ Barnabas Health, West Orange, N.J.; C. Wright Pinson, M.D., deputy vice chancellor for health affairs and CEO, Vanderbilt Health System, Nashville, TN; and Michael Slubowski, FACHE, president and CEO, SCL Health, Broomfield, Co.

New appointees elected to serve on the council for three-year terms are: Brian Donley, M.D., chief of staff, chief clinical operations, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH; Elizabeth Dunne, president and CEO, PeaceHealth, Vancouver, WA; Stephen Klasko, M.D., president and CEO, Jefferson Health, Allentown, PA; Scott Reiner, president and CEO, Adventist Health, Roseville, CA; Anthony Slonim, M.D, Dr.P.H., president and CEO, Renown Health, Reno, NV; and Penny Wheeler, M.D., president and CEO, Allina Health, Minneapolis, MN.

About the Section for Health Care Systems

The American Hospital Association’s (AHA) constituency section for Health Care Systems is a 20-person council that represents AHA’s 250 health system members by participating in AHA’s advocacy, policy and resource development, with a particular focus on strategic opportunities from a health systems perspective.

About the AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the health improvement of their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which include nearly 5,000 hospitals, health care systems, networks, other providers of care and 43,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends. For more information, visit the AHA website at www.aha.org.