Virgin Pulse Appoints Former CVS Health/Aetna Clinical Leader Jeffrey Jacques, MD, as New Chief Medical Officer

Physician-entrepreneur brings strong digital health and caregiving background to world's #1 health, wellbeing, and navigation company

PROVIDENCE, R.I., Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Virgin Pulse, the leading global digital-first health, wellbeing, and navigation company, today announced that Jeffrey Jacques, MD, has joined the company as chief medical officer. Dr. Jacques has more than 20 years of experience in digital health innovation and caregiving through various professional and personal lenses, including over a decade with CVS Health/Aetna. This executive appointment strengthens the company's clinical expertise to ensure alignment with member and market needs, enhance its behavior science approach, and enable exploration of additional ways Virgin Pulse's unique capabilities can further simplify and support the member journey.

"Jeff's entrepreneurial spirit, passion for solving complex issues, and clinical expertise will further differentiate Virgin Pulse in the market and will fuel us in new ways – particularly at the intersection of technology and human connection," said Chris Michalak, CEO at Virgin Pulse. "We drive successful outcomes because our platform is rooted in behavior science – understanding what members need to take action. Jeff's lived experiences will enhance this approach, and we expect him to play a valuable role in 2023 as Virgin Pulse delivers even more value to our clients and members."

As chief medical officer at Virgin Pulse, Dr. Jacques will advance the company's clinical strategy, providing insight and guidance to product and commercial teams. He will also lead the company's Science Advisory Board, which helps ensure that Virgin Pulse's technology and the experiences it supports are rooted in the most relevant scientific evidence and best practices.

Dr. Jacques joins Virgin Pulse with more than 20 years of experience in digital health, population health management, and advanced clinical analytics, developing solutions that support individuals and populations through complex health journeys. He was previously CEO and co-founder of CareTribe, a digital health platform dedicated to supporting the needs of family caregivers. It was acquired by family support company Cleo in 2022, where he became chief strategy officer. He also held leadership roles with CVS Health/Aetna for more than a decade, including as the founder of NeoCare Solutions, a CVS Health/Aetna business supporting the parents of premature infants in the NICU, and as chief clinical innovation officer at ActiveHealth Management, a CVS Health company focused on population health.

"I have seen all sides of the healthcare industry, from treating my patients to caring for both my son and my father. This experience has taught me about the power of healthcare, but also how complicated the system can be," said Dr. Jacques. "Combining human knowledge with support from technology creates a force multiplier for people and is a significant next step in how they experience healthcare. This approach is at the core of the Virgin Pulse platform, making the company an extremely valuable partner to organizations and their members in support of all facets of their health. I'm looking forward to being part of the team that is changing lives for good."

Serving more than 6,000 clients, including 20% of the Fortune 500 and four of the top five national health plans, Virgin Pulse impacts millions of lives by driving healthy actions and habits they stick with every day. The company's Homebase for Health® platform serves as a one-stop-shop for all things health, wellbeing, and navigation. It has been intentionally designed to tangibly and significantly improve engagement, address complexity, and stem the overall cost of healthcare by enabling people to make better decisions about their health and wellbeing.

Hear more about Virgin Pulse's strategic growth plans that Dr. Jacques will be contributing to during CEO Chris Michalak's presentation at the 41st Annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, January 10 at 8am PT.  

Virgin Pulse is the leading digital-first health, wellbeing, and navigation company that empowers organizations across the globe to activate populations, improve health outcomes, and reduce spend in an era of accelerating cost and complexity. Virgin Pulse's Homebase for Health® connects data, people, and technology to deliver high tech, human touch experiences that engage and reward individual journeys. Virgin Pulse impacts over 100 million people across 190 countries by helping Fortune 500, national health plans, and many other organizations change lives – and businesses – for good. For more tips and insights, connect with us on Twitter or LinkedIn.

SOURCE Virgin Pulse