City & State Names NYC Health + Hospitals and MetroPlus CEOs To "2021 Health Power 100" List
President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals Mitchell Katz, MD ranked 4th;
President and CEO of MetroPlus Health Plan Talya Schwartz, MD ranked 26th
Jan 21, 2021
President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals Mitchell Katz, MD and President and CEO of MetroPlusHealth Health Plan Talya Schwartz, MD have been named on City & State’s “2021 Health Power 100” list. This year, the publication is recognizing leaders’ contribution amidst the pandemic and their commitment to helping New Yorkers find a path forward. Dr. Katz is ranked fourth for his leadership overseeing the largest public health system during the pandemic, treating New York City’s most vulnerable patients, and in leading the city’s contact tracing efforts. Schwartz is ranked 26th and recognized for leading MetroPlusHealth Health’s expansion to more than 560,000 members and rapidly initiating outreach and support efforts to serve the plan’s membership during the pandemic, which has played a key role in Mayor Bill de Blasio’s effort to deliver health care to all New Yorkers. City & State’s “2021 Health Power 100” program honors individuals in healthcare who are deemed by their peers and the outlet’s senior editors to be the most influential individuals in the industry, in terms of leadership and impact.
“I consider it an honor to be recognized among City & State’s “2021 Health Power 100″ list that includes so many incredible health advocates like my colleague Dr. Talya Schwartz, but the honor is shared with NYC Health + Hospitals’ doctors, nurses, pharmacists, social workers and staff on the front lines serving New Yorkers daily amidst this unprecedented health crisis,” said President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals Mitchell Katz, MD. “I am proud to lead a health system of heroes who provides lifesaving and compassionate care to New Yorkers.”
“It is a great honor to be recognized by City & State for my work to ensure access to medical care during the pandemic,” said President and CEO of MetroPlusHealth Health Plan Talya Schwartz, MD. “To be recognized along such exceptionally accomplished health advocates – including my colleague Dr. Katz – only adds to my gratitude for being named to this list.”
Dr. Katz was appointed President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals in January 2018. During this time, Dr. Katz has focused on advancing the transformation of the public health care system with numerous new initiatives to expand access to primary care services, reduce administrative costs, invest in more front-line clinical staff, and build financial stability. In September 2020, NYC Care, a healthcare access program for New Yorkers who are not eligible for or cannot afford health insurance, went live city-wide four months ahead of schedule under Dr. Katz’s stewardship.
Dr. Katz’s initial transformation strategy helped set the groundwork for the public health system to combat the challenges of the unprecedented global health crisis, COVID-19. Under his stewardship, the system was able to more than triple its ICU capacity, stand-up a COVID-19-dedicated hotline to help mitigate dangerous overcrowding in the system’s emergency departments, transition nearly all existing appointments to telemedicine, and establish the city’s Test & Trace Corps. The public health system is now also providing critical support to facilitate the City’s roll-out of COVID-19 vaccines to those who are eligible.
As President and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Talya Schwartz was appointed to MetroPlusHealth Health Plan in May 2019. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Schwartz worked quickly to initiate outreach and support efforts to serve the plan’s membership. Dr. Schwartz joined MetroPlusHealth from the private sector. She has been a founding member of a behavioral health technology startup company and prior to that served in various leadership roles in regional and national health plans.
Prior to her appointment, Dr. Schwartz served as the Chief Medical Officer at MetroPlusHealth, leading the Medical Management division. Under her leadership MetroPlusHealth ranked among the top plans in the State for quality. She has led technology solutions that enhance access to health care and pertinent health information for its more than 560,000 members. She transformed the care management program into a holistic, field-based program that now also addresses social determinants of health with special focus on housing for its homeless population.