September 16, 2015 Mr. Gene L. Dodaro Comptroller General Government Accountability Office 441 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20548 RE: Nomination for the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission Dear Mr. Dodaro: On behalf of the members of the American Hospital Association (AHA) and Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), we write to enthusiastically nominate Reginald W. Coopwood, M.D., to the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC). His leadership and experience makes him an excellent choice to assist MACPAC in its charge to review beneficiary access and payment policies for Medicaid and the Children s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Dr. Coopwood is well qualified to serve on the commission as president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Regional One Health in Memphis, Tenn. Dr. Coopwood, a board-certified surgeon, oversees a full-service health care delivery system that includes an acute-care hospital Regional Medical Center, a 353-bed teaching facility as well as an extended-care hospital, rehabilitation hospital, outpatient surgery center and primary care services. Regional One Health serves a three-state area and includes: a nationally acclaimed Level 1 trauma center; a Level 3 neonatal intensive care unit; the only American Burn Association-certified burn center in the region; and a high-risk obstetrical referral center. Additionally, Regional One Health has three community primary care sites, and more than 32 sub-specialty services are provided in the system s outpatient clinics. Over half of the health system s admissions are Medicaid beneficiaries and it annually sees more than 100,000 outpatient visits. As a visionary physician and hospital leader, Dr. Coopwood understands Medicaid and CHIP s mission of providing care to the programs beneficiaries by maximizing available resources in a challenging community environment. Because Tennessee has not yet opted to expand its Medicaid program to residents under 138 percent of the federal poverty line, as is allowed under the Affordable Care Act, he will bring an important perspective regarding payment and access issues that are being encountered by a hospital system in a non-expansion state. We urge you to consider the vital role of hospitals in care delivery as the commission examines the interplay between access and payment. Dr. Coopwood would bring not only a strong hospital and public health perspective to these deliberations, but also a deep compassion and commitment to the vulnerable populations served by Medicaid and CHIP. Given that nearly one in four people in Memphis live in poverty and the city has very low health rankings, Dr. Coopwood understands the important role that hospitals play as the backbone of America s health care safety net, providing care to all patients who come through their doors, regardless of ability to pay and despite significant payment shortfalls.
Gene Dodaro September 16, 2015 Page 2 of 2 Prior to his current position, he was the CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority, the governing body that oversees Nashville General Hospital, where he had served as Chief Medical Officer. He served as Associate Clinical Professor of Surgery at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine and Associate Professor of Surgery at Meharry Medical College. Dr. Coopwood is the past chair of the AHA s Governing Council on Metropolitan Hospitals, which is comprised of representatives from metropolitan/urban, suburban, public and teaching hospitals from across the country. The council provides advice to AHA on policy and advocacy activities and discusses issues of importance to metropolitan hospitals. Dr. Coopwood earned his medical degree from Meharry Medical College and established a successful general surgical practice in Nashville. He is the Memphis Division Board Chair for the March of Dimes and a March of Dimes Tennessee State Chapter board member. He is immediate past chair of the Tennessee Hospital Association (THA) Board of Directors and currently serves as speaker of the THA House of Delegates, chair of the MidSouth e-health Alliance board and a member of the board of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee. Dr. Coopwood also is an alumnus of Leadership Memphis. We have attached a copy of his curriculum vitae. In addition to the extensive professional experience outlined above, Dr. Coopwood has received many accolades, including: the 2010 individual Leader in Health award from the Community Health Charities of Tennessee; the Memphis Business Journal s Healthcare Heroes Award of Administrative Excellence in 2011; and the Tennessee Hospital Association s Diversity Champion Award in 2013. Thank you for your consideration of Dr. Coopwood. The AHA and AAMC are confident that, if appointed, he would be a vital addition to MACPAC. If you have any questions, please contact Molly Collins Offner, director of policy development, at mcollins@aha.org or (202) 626-2326 or Scott Wetzel, senior specialist, quality reporting, at Swetzel@aamc.org or (202) 828-0495. Sincerely, Thomas P. Nickels Executive Vice President American Hospital Association Atul Grover, M.D., Ph.D. Chief Public Policy Officer Association of American Medical Colleges cc: Reginald W. Coopwood, M.D. Attachment
REGINALD WILLIAM COOPWOOD, M.D., FACS, PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Regional One Health 14 years of progressive successful experience in fiscal, strategic, and operations leadership in administrative and executive positions. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE President/Chief Executive Officer March 1, Regional One Health Memphis, TN CEO of 600+ bed medical center serving a three-state region. Regional Medical Center boasts four centers of excellence: nationally acclaimed Level I Trauma Center, Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Firefighters Burn Center and High Risk Obstetrical referral center. Regional One Health provides over 100,000 outpatient visits in both primary and specialty care with an annual operating budget of over $300 million. Chief Executive Officer May 2005 February 2010 Vanderbilt University Metropolitan Nashville Hospital Authority CEO of 670-bed public healthcare system, which includes Nashville General Hospital at Meharry (150-bed acute care hospital), Bordeaux Long Term Care (420-bed long term care facility), and Knowles Home Assisted Living and Adult Day Services (100-bed residential living facility). Directed financial turnaround of Hospital Authority by reducing funding requirements and improving performance in services provided. Utilized keen analysis, insight, and team approach in restructuring and driving organizational improvements. Directed implementation of McKesson technologies single-platform for clinicals and financials. Chief Medical Officer July 2000 May 2005 Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Chief Medical Officer of Nashville General Hospital at Meharry. Key member of executive team with primary responsibility of leading the quality initiative throughout the Hospital. Responsible for oversight of 270 hospital-credentialed physicians, medical residents, and nurse practitioners. Managed operations of medical and surgical clinics with approximately 32,000 primary and specialty clinic visits. Developed clinical department advisory committee for quality oversight.
Chief of Surgery 1994 2000 Nashville General Hospital at Meharry Chief of Surgery of Nashville General Hospital. Responsible for the clinical direction of the Department of Surgery. Led the operating room committee where improvements of the operating room were developed to increase profitability and efficiency. Served as liaison between Hospital management and Meharry Medical College Department of Surgery. Served on various administrative committees, as well as the Medical Executive Committee. Founder & Senior Partner 1990 2004 Signature Surgical Group Started successful surgical practice in Nashville, Tennessee following completion of surgical residency. Practice grew over ten years to over $800,000 in revenues with three surgeons covering four hospitals. EDUCATION Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee 1985 1990 General Surgery Residency Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee 1981 1985 Doctor of Medicine Oakwood College, Huntsville, Alabama 1977 1981 Bachelor of General Studies: Biology, Chemistry & Business Administration LICENSURE Tennessee #MD021193 December 1990 Current CERTIFICATION American Board of Surgery December 1993 RECERTIFICATION American Board of Surgery December 2003 ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 2002 2010 Associate Professor of Clinical Surgery Department of Surgery Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee 1993 2010 Associate Professor of Surgery Department of Surgery
PROFESSIONAL & CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS Memphis Rotary Club The American College of Physician Executives The American College of Healthcare Executives The American College of Surgeons, Fellow Leadership Nashville, Class of 2005 2001 Present 2006 Present 1997 Present BOARDS Bipartisan Policy Center-Task Force on Delivery System Reform and Health Information Technology Advisory Board Member 2011 Blue Cross Blue Shield of TN, Board of Directors 2011 Memphis Division March of Dimes, Board of Directors Leadership Academy, Board of Directors QSource, Board of Directors Chancellor s Advisory Board, UTHSC Community Health Charities of Tennessee, Board Member 2010 2/2011 MidSouth e-health Alliance HIP TN 2009 Present Tennessee Hospital Association Board of Directors Executive Committee 2009 Present Diversity Committee, Chair 2009 Present American Hospital Association Metropolitan Governing Council 2009 Present National Association of Public Health & Hospitals, Executive Committee 2008 Present National Association of Public Health & Hospitals Institute, Board Member 2007 Present Nashville Healthcare Council, Board Member 2007 2010 Safety Net Consortium of Middle Tennessee, Board Member 2005 2010 Comprehensive Care Center, Board Member 2001 2006 Meharry Medical College, Board of Trustees 1985 1986 AWARDS & HONORS Memphis Magazine Named to 2010 Memphis Who s Who 2010 Nashville Business Journal, Healthcare Hero Leadership 2009 Tennessee Business Magazine Tennessee s Healthcare Top 25 2007& 2009 Nashville Business Journal s Top 100 in Healthcare 2005 & 2006 Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center s: 2005 Dr. Archie Powel Excellence in Health Award