Thomas M. Priselac has been named vice chair of the USC Leonard D. Schaeffer Center for Health Policy & Economics’ Advisory Board. Priselac, who is CEO and president of Cedars-Sinai, has served on the board since its inception in 2011.
“Tom has served our nation on the front lines to advance the excellence and affordability of healthcare, which is the essence of our mission,” says Dana Goldman, co-director of the Schaeffer Center and dean of the USC Sol Price School of Public Policy. “His counsel is invaluable.”
Priselac holds the Warschaw Law Chair in Healthcare Leadership at Cedars-Sinai, where he has worked since 1979. Prior to his current position, he served as the health system’s executive vice president. Under his leadership, Cedars-Sinai has grown into one of the largest healthcare systems in the Western United States. It is also one of the most prestigious in the country, ranked #1 in California and #2 nationwide by U.S. News & World Report.
“Tom has been a dedicated supporter and advocate for the Schaeffer Center almost since the beginning,” says the Center’s founder Leonard D. Schaeffer, who continues as board chair. “He provides a critical policy perspective, especially on health care delivery and improving the health of the underserved. I am thankful for his commitment and service.”
The USC Schaeffer Center is a partnership of the Price School and the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Mann School Dean Vassilios Papadopoulos also notes Cedars-Sinai’s role in medical innovation in welcoming Priselac to the vice chair post.
“Cedars-Sinai is an important partner of our school and one of the most renowned healthcare organizations in the country,” he adds. “Tom understands how crucial medical innovation is to improving healthcare access—just as equity and diversity in areas such as clinical trials are necessary to furthering that progress.”
Priselac served as chair of the American Hospital Association during the Affordable Care Act’s development. He is also a past chair of the Association of American Medical Colleges, California Hospital Association and Hospital Association of Southern California. His other current leadership positions include serving on the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science Board of Councilors and the Los Angeles Coalition for the Economy and Jobs.
“I have devoted my career to enhancing the quality and efficiency of healthcare services, expanding access to healthcare and bringing the delivery system perspective to policy deliberations on these and related topics,” Priselac says. “The Schaeffer Center is at the forefront of using data-driven scholarship to widen healthcare’s reach to as many people as possible and inform deliberations on cost and quality. It’s a privilege to work alongside my fellow board members, and, as vice chair, I look forward to helping the center reach even greater heights in informing policy solutions to healthcare challenges.”
As an advisory board member, Priselac is part of a group of noted executives who collectively represent all aspects of healthcare—from medical care, research and pharmaceutical development to insurers and philanthropic foundations committed to enhancing public well-being.
“We are fortunate to have such an esteemed group of supporters,” says Erin Trish, co-director of the Schaeffer Center and associate professor at the USC Mann School. “And we look forward to Tom’s expanded leadership role.”
In addition to USC and Cedars-Sinai, the board includes leaders from the Kaiser Family Foundation, Gates Ventures, the California Hospital Association, Amgen, Providence St. Joseph Health, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Johnson & Johnson and other major organizations. Priselac will serve as Vice Chair for a two-year term. More about the Center’s board can be found here and in the Center’s annual reports.
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