Closing the HealthCare Executive Group

For over 35 years the HealthCare Executive Group (HCEG) has facilitated and supported networking and thought leadership of senior industry leaders in moving healthcare forward through issues, challenges, and opportunities. Together, the HCEG network has focused on the ever-changing critical healthcare priorities and worked together to find practical and applicable solutions at the intersection of innovation and technology. The commitment and contributions of so many to the HCEG’s mission and vision have been invaluable.

Celebrating an Incredible Sunset After 35 Years

Today, Eric Decker, HCEG’s Board Chair and the SVP/CIO of Independent Health announces the conclusion of the HealthCare Executive Group. “Some of you have been with HCEG for many years, others joined along the way, and many of you have become involved with HCEG initiatives since the onset of the pandemic. To all of you, we say, thank you, and encourage you to continue the journey we have started together!”

HCEG Executive Director Ferris Taylor added, “We are taking a victory lap along with each of you and invite all who have been involved to join us as we celebrate HCEG’s successes, accomplishments, and contributions” (see more below).

HCEG’s long-term impact will be the relationships with each member, partner, and colleague who have supported HCEG’s mission and vision of carrying forward healthcare’s transition to a more consumer-centered and digital-enabled 21st-century healthcare system. HCEG encourages you to further enhance and support HCEG’s mission through your ongoing, personal engagement with industry leaders and stakeholders.

As the HCEG board closes the association, we are reminded that in the end, it isn’t HCEG’s many accomplishments that are most important but rather what each of us takes from the friendships we’ve made and the lives we’ve touched. We continue to have the opportunity to do the right thing and make a difference in the lives of the members, patients, and colleagues we serve.

See the list of HCEG accomplishments and quotes from HCEG board members included below. Feel free to join us in celebrating HCEG by posting your memories and thoughts in the comments section below, by sending an email here, or by sharing via LinkedIn or Twitter.

Note: HCEG expended its remaining assets in virtual contributions over the last year. HCEG’s website, library of resources, and digital presence will remain active for a period of time. Questions and requests can be directed to Ferris Taylor at [email protected]

HCEG’s Value and Accomplishments

HCEG’s value and mission was built on the same core tenants that continue today:

• Healthcare executives trust their peers more than any other source when facing industry priorities, issues, and challenges,
• Because industry priorities, issues, and challenges evolve every year, programs must allow executives to customize the dialogue as their operational and strategic priorities shift in response to market dynamics, new legislation, and regulations, and
• HCEG was not a conference but an ongoing network of executives who collaborated with one another in intimate, trusted settings.

As a result, HCEG accomplishments include:

• 35 years of in-person and virtual meetings to share experience and perspectives on priorities facing healthcare leaders.
• Over 15 years of publishing the HCEG Top 10: an annual list of industry leader priorities based on resources, market conditions and internal opportunities.
• Twelve years of in-depth, national Industry Pulse research, performed in collaboration with Change Healthcare Consulting and more recently WEDI, to validate HCEG’s Top 10 priorities and to compare and contrast HCEG’s differing perspectives with broader industry views.
• Inviting dozens of technology partner sponsors to share their challenges, issues, experiences, and perspectives on industry direction and opportunities.
• Produced and delivered 100’s of webinars, blog posts, newsletters, social media interactions, and facilitated 1:1 conversations between members of the HCEG Network and the industry at large.
• Maintained, facilitated, and regularly connected with a network of over 7000 industry participants electronically, at industry events, HCEG Annual Forums and Executive Roundtables.
• Served as a collaborative partner with most healthcare associations as a “convener of conveners” as noted on the HCEG website.

Comments by Board Members as they Sunset HCEG

Angela L. Perri – Chief Medicare Officer at UPMC Health Plan

“HCEG has been super special and should celebrate 35 years of contributions. There isn’t any other place I found where I was able to have a conversation and work together with other like-minded executives dedicated to change.”

Tim Riley – Chief Information Officer at Network Health

“HCEG has been very helpful in bridging the gaps between payers and providers and challenging our old school thinking in healthcare.”

Kevin Deutsch – Senior Vice President, Health Plan Cloud at Softheon

“HCEG is the only reason some of our health plan relationships ever happened. Without HCEG, Softheon would have never made some of these connections! Lots of great memories to cherish.”

Dr. David DiLoreto, MD – Principal at Sg2, a Vizient Company

“HCEG has been a leading voice in shaping healthcare policy as well facilitating numerous educational and networking opportunities for our members. I am proud of all that was accomplished and look forward to the continued growth and success of the industry and the many individuals and organizations who work tirelessly to advance access, affordability, quality, and innovation in care delivery.”

Jill Michal – Co-founder/CEO at Kith + Kin

“HCEG was fundamentally different from any other leadership group I’ve experienced. The Annual Forum was the first “conference” I attended where speakers talked WITH the audience and not AT them. The connections I made have lasted for nearly a decade and I expect they’ll continue to endure throughout my career. I’m proud to have been part of this board and of the work this organization has done to elevate many important conversations throughout the years.”

David Gallegos – SVP Consulting Services at Change Healthcare

“For almost 18 years, HCEG has been an amazing personal opportunity to network with incredible healthcare executives. The association has helped me grow personally and professionally and I have appreciated being a lead collaborator on Industry Pulse and other initiatives.”

Richard Lungen – Managing Member at Leverage Health Solutions & General Partner at HC9 Ventures

“HCEG has been a big part of what our organization has turned into and a big part of our success… and it has been a lot of fun growing personally and professionally together.”

Ian Gordon – Former President of Operations at Elara Caring and SVP at Regence

“It has been an incredible opportunity to share experiences on critical priorities and find ways to do the right thing. I’ve met a lot of great people and am thrilled that HCEG is able to go out on a high, celebrating so many accomplishments.”

Alan Abramson – SVP and CIO at HealthPartners (former)

“HCEG has been a unique association and I’ve appreciated being involved with the highly collaborative thought leadership at the intersection of public and private innovation.”

Eric Decker – HCEG’s Board Chair and SVP/CIO at Independent Health

“Nowhere else would I have had the opportunity to get to know and share innovations with current and past HCEG leaders, current board, and members. Independent Health is a better plan because of its long history with HCEG. We look forward to hearing all your comments and memories in the blog post that will follow.”