Michael Wagner, MD, FACP named President and Chief Executive Officer of Tufts Medical Center in permanent capacity

BOSTON, April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Tufts Medical Center Board of Trustees announced today that it has voted unanimously to appoint Michael Wagner, MD, FACP as President and CEO of Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children on a permanent basis. Wagner, a nationally respected physician executive and health care thought leader, has held the title of Interim President and CEO since September 2013. He had previously served as President and CEO of the 550-member Tufts Medical Center Physicians Organization and Tufts MC's Chief Medical Officer.

"The Board has been extremely impressed with Dr. Wagner's performance in the interim CEO role over the past six months," said Thomas Hollister, Chair of the Tufts Medical Center Board of Trustees. "Dr. Wagner is a wise and innovative leader who understands the complexities of health care from so many angles as a primary care physician, a private sector executive and a patient safety advocate. This expertise will be invaluable as Tufts Medical Center builds on its rich tradition of health care innovation and transforms how care is delivered as the health care industry continues to change. We are very pleased that Dr. Wagner, who began his career here in our primary care offices, will now be our chief executive officer."

"It is a tremendous honor to have the opportunity to lead this historic institution at this exciting time," said Wagner. "I look forward to continuing to work closely with the Board to ensure that Tufts Medical Center sets the industry standard for how an academic medical center can improve health care by working collaboratively with our community partners. I have long had an affinity for Tufts Medical Center, its staff and physicians; continuing to work side by side with them is inspiring."

Wagner and Ellen Zane, Vice Chair of the Tufts Medical Center Board of Trustees, will continue to work in concert on the Medical Center's strategic planning and execution.

Wagner has diverse and extensive experience in the health care industry though his work at academic medical centers, community hospitals and in the private sector. Prior to returning to Tufts Medical Center in 2008 to lead the hospital's primary care services, Wagner was CEO of EmCare Inpatient Services, a hospital inpatient physician management company. During his tenure, Wagner traveled the country, helping hospitals improve patient care, patient satisfaction and efficiency. Wagner also served on the Society for General Internal Medicine's Commission on Physician Payment Reform, and as the Chief Medical Officer of Fidelis Care New York, a Medicaid health insurance company. He held leadership positions as the Vice Chair of the Institutional Review Board for Tufts and as the Director of Medical Education for Unity Health System, an affiliate of the University of Rochester.

At Tufts Medical Center, Wagner began his career in Tufts MC's internal medicine practice nearly 25 years ago and has since served as Chief of General Medicine (1999-2003), Chief of Internal Medicine and Adult Primary Care (2008- 2012), Chief Medical Officer (2011-2013) and President and CEO of the Tufts Medical Center Physicians Organization (2012-2014) during his three professional tenures at the Medical Center.

"Dr. Wagner has deep leadership experience and great integrity and values," said Paul Summergrad, MD, Chairman of the Tufts MC Physicians Organization Board of Trustees and Psychiatrist-in-Chief at Tufts Medical Center. "Tufts Medical Center physicians and caregivers relate to Mike and trust that he understands and supports our common goal of outstanding clinical care. Mike also knows the bigger picture, the significance of population health and the role of the academic medical center as the heart of innovation. He has led quality improvement across the institution and has never wavered in his support of patient needs. His unique background and broad expertise position Mike as an ideal leader, best equipped to move the Medical Center in the right direction. He has the complete support of the physician and clinician community at Tufts Medical Center."

The Tufts MC Physicians Organization (PO) will soon begin a process to select Wagner's successor as President and CEO of the PO.

"Dr. Wagner's tireless dedication to enhancing quality, patient safety and patient experience at the Medical Center has inspired incredible teamwork among caregivers to go the extra mile," said Therese Hudson-Jinks, RN, Chief Nursing Officer at Tufts Medical Center. "He motivates the Tufts MC Care Team, including our excellent nurses, to exceed clinical outcome targets and delight patients with a compassionate commitment to their care."

Wagner earned his bachelor's degree, magna cum laude, from Connecticut College and received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine. He completed his internal medicine residency at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Hanover, NH, where he was Chief Medical Resident.

About Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children
Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415-bed academic medical center that is home to both a full-service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, the Medical Center is the principal teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. Floating Hospital for Children is the full-service children's hospital of Tufts Medical Center and the principal pediatric teaching hospital of Tufts University School of Medicine. Tufts Medical Center is affiliated with the New England Quality Care Alliance, a network of more than 1,800 physicians throughout Eastern Massachusetts. For more information, please visit www.tuftsmedicalcenter.org.

SOURCE Tufts Medical Center