NEW YORK (TIP):Dr. Ram Raju, former president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, is joining Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in the state of New York.

Raju, who in November stepped down from his position as president and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals, will serve as senior vice president and community health officer at Northwell.

In his new role, Raju will evaluate the needs of the most- vulnerable communities Northwell Health serves, assess programs that enhance the health system’s ability to respond to those needs and collaborate with community-based organizations to create problem-solving solutions.

“Ram’s vast experience, deep commitment to caring for vulnerable communities and keen understanding of New York’s healthcare delivery system make him the ideal individual to lead our efforts,” said Michael J. Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health, according to a press release. “His most recent work with NYC Health + Hospitals certainly enhances his ability to respond to this challenge.”

NYC Health + Hospitals, which Raju led from January 2014 until November 2016, is the largest municipally owned health system in the U.S. and a major safety net provider, serving a large proportion of poor and uninsured patient. But it has struggled financially, facing a potential budget gap of $1.8 billion in 2020. At Northwell, Raju’s role will entail examining programs aimed at improving the health system’s response to the community’s needs and working with local organizations to address them.

Northwell created the position of community health investment officer specifically for Raju, who said his time at NYC Health + Hospitals taught him about what vulnerable communities need and how health policies can affect their outcomes. “My new role with Northwell will enable me to promote, sustain and advance an environment that supports equity and diversity, and help eliminate health disparities

within the communities served by Northwell throughout the city, Long Island and Westchester County,” Raju said in a press release.

Before working at NYC Health + Hospitals, Raju was CEO of the Cook County Health & Hospitals System in Chicago, the country’s third-largest public health system. Dr. Raju has extensive leadership experience. Prior to NYC Health + Hospitals, he served as CEO for the Cook County Health & Hospitals System in Chicago, the nation’s third-largest public health system, where he improved cash flow by more than $100 million and changed the system’s financial health during his tenure from 2011-14. He began his medical career at Lutheran Medical Center in Brooklyn and went on to serve as chief operating officer and medical director at NYC Health + Hospitals’ Coney Island Hospital. In 2006, he became the HHC chief medical officer, corporate chief operating officer and executive vice president. Under his leadership, HHC continued to reach great heights in quality, patient safety and health care data transparency.

Dr. Raju earned his medical diploma and Master of Surgery degree from Madras Medical College in India. He underwent further training in England, where he was elected as a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and later received an MBA from the University of Tennessee and CPE from the American College of Physician Executives.

He served as vice-chair of the Greater New York Hospital Association and currently sits on the boards of numerous city, state and national health care organizations, including the American Hospital Association, the New York Academy of Medicine and the Asian Health Care Leaders Association.

Dr. Raju is the recipient of numerous national recognitions, including Modern Healthcare’s list of the nation’s “100 Most-Influential People in Healthcare.” Modern Healthcare also named him one of the “Top 25 Minority Executives in Healthcare” and one of the “50 Most-Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare.” In 2013, he was named a Business Leader of Color by Chicago United.