QLK congratulates Kerry Weems and Byron Scott, MD, on their election to the Providence Health Plan Board of Directors, with terms beginning January 2022. Providence, headquartered in Renton, Washington, is one of the nation’s largest healthcare providers, reporting over $23 billion in revenue and serving over 13 million patients through 51 hospitals, 829 clinics, and 16 supportive housing facilities; 119,000 caregivers, 25,000 physicians, and 38,000 nurses; two health plans with 2.1 million covered lives; and 90 non-acute services – all spread across seven states in a diverse family of Catholic, other faith-based, and secular organizations.
Kerry has served for three years as chief executive officer of Mycroft Bioanalytics, an early-stage company specializing in the licensing of genetic and clinical intellectual property, and the owner and manager of the world’s largest biobank in chronic pain. In addition, he serves as senior advisor to Leavitt Partners, and is executive chairman of the Value-Based Healthcare Investors Alliance, an alliance of payers, providers, and others devoted to moving the needle on value-based health care.
Prior to joining Mycroft, Kerry served as chief executive officer of TwinMed, LLC, a national distributor of medical supplies and services that he professionalized from a regional niche business to a national, $350 million business. Kerry also served as vice president and general manager of health solutions for General Dynamics, following a 26-year tenure in government. He began his career in the U.S. Senate as a legislative aide and professional staff member for the Committee on Appropriations, and then transitioned to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, where he progressed through increasingly responsible analytics, managerial, and executive positions, culminating in his nomination by President George W. Bush to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in 2007. Kerry holds bachelor’s degrees in philosophy and business from New Mexico State University, and an MBA from the University of New Mexico.
Dr. Scott has had a long, successful tenure in clinical practice and leadership, teaching, and board service. He currently sits on the boards of Accuray, which designs, develops, manufactures, and sells radiation therapy and radiosurgery systems for the treatment of cancer; Direct Relief, a global disaster relief organization providing warehousing and distribution of pharmaceutical and medical supplies; and Rady Children’s Hospital, a nonprofit, 524-bed pediatric hospital affiliated with UCSD Medical School; as well as sitting on the editorial board of American Health and Drug Benefits Journal, a peer-reviewed journal focused on benefit design and its direct impact on cost, quality, and access to health care. In addition to his board positions, Dr. Scott is an adjunct professor at both the University of Massachusetts Amherst and Thomas Jefferson University, teaching courses on healthcare quality, performance improvement, and patient safety.
In late 2017, Dr. Scott stepped down from a 25-year clinical career in emergency medicine, during which he also served as a regional medical director and regional executive vice president for EmCare in Dallas (a private equity-owned and public physician practice management company); medical director for the Emergency Department of Methodist Richardson Medical Center in Dallas; national medical director and associate chief medical officer for Truven Health Analytics; and deputy chief health officer for Simpler (the consulting arm of IBM Watson Health), a role in which he served as a consultant, clinical thought leader, and strategic advisor supporting healthcare organizations in the U.S. and globally by aligning strategies, analytics, and technology, and by streamlining operations. Dr. Scott holds a bachelor’s degree in psychobiology from the University of California, Los Angeles, an MD from the University of California, San Diego, and an MBA in medical management from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
QLK’s Steve Derks led efforts to recruit Kerry and Dr. Scott to the board of Providence Health Plan.
