Anthony Shih, MD, Will Step Down as President of United Hospital Fund this Summer
NEW YORK, NY—March 2, 2022—Anthony Shih, MD, has announced that he will step down as president of United Hospital Fund (UHF) this summer, which will be his five-year anniversary at the helm.
“It was a difficult decision to end my tenure at UHF. It’s been a privilege to lead such an esteemed organization and to work with UHF’s superb board and staff,” said Dr. Shih. “I am proud of our collective work to build an effective and equitable health care system for all New Yorkers, and I look forward to continuing this important work in the months ahead.”
“Tony has been an inspirational and thoughtful leader, earning the trust and admiration of the board and staff as well as our partners, collaborators, and supporters,” said UHF board chair John C. Simons. “We regret his decision but will always be grateful for the important role he has played over the past five years, and especially his exceptional leadership through the COVID-19 pandemic. He will leave UHF stronger financially and programmatically and with the good wishes of all of us on the board and staff. We look forward to his continued leadership in the coming months and to identifying another exceptional individual to build on Tony’s and UHF’s important work as a force for health care improvement.”
Among UHF’s many notable achievements during Dr. Shih’s leadership are the expansion of UHF’s work to address social factors driving health disparities through clinical-community partnerships; the introduction of a multi-faceted diversity, equity, and inclusion initiative involving UHF’s board and staff that guides both internal operations and external activities; and the publication of seminal reports on topics such as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the opioid epidemic on children’s health.
UHF’s COVID-19 commentaries and resources over the past two years have also been important guideposts, drawing attention to critical issues and providing needed assistance and information to New Yorkers seeking to retain their health insurance coverage, and supporting the well-being of children and their families during a very uncertain time. UHF’s ongoing work to improve the quality of health care delivery, strengthen the Medicaid program, and expand insurance coverage and access to care have also benefitted greatly from Dr. Shih’s strong leadership, including the launch of new signature activities such as the annual Tribute to Excellence in Health Care and UHF’s Quality Leaders Forum.
United Hospital Fund’s board has formed a search committee, which will be led by board chair John C. Simons, and has retained Spencer Stuart to conduct a national search. Those who would like more information on the search can contact UHFCEO@SpencerStuart.com. Dr. Shih will remain as president until August 1, 2022, or until his successor is named if prior to that date.
About United Hospital Fund
United Hospital Fund works to build an effective and equitable health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we are a force for improvement, analyzing public policy to inform decision-makers, finding common ground among diverse stakeholders, and developing and supporting innovative programs that improve health and health care. We work to dismantle barriers in health policy and health care delivery that prevent equitable opportunities for health. For more on our initiatives and programs please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on Twitter.