ALEXANDRIA, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AMGA today announced that its Board of Directors has appointed Jerry Penso, M.D., M.B.A., to the position of president and chief executive officer, effective October 16, 2017. Dr. Penso currently serves as president, AMGA Foundation, and chief medical and quality officer, AMGA.
“Health care in America is experiencing great change, and Jerry’s ability to advocate, innovate, energize, and collaborate will fuel AMGA’s and our members’ future success,” said Donn E. Sorensen, executive vice president of operations, Mercy, and AMGA board chair. “Jerry was chosen in a competitive selection process from a strong pool of candidates. His track record in extensively growing AMGA quality programs and his ability to provide physician leadership and continuity while having a strategy to foster innovation are among the many attributes that set him apart. He’s the right individual to guide AMGA as it begins a new chapter.”
Prior to joining AMGA, Dr. Penso served as medical director, continuum of care for Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Group (SRSMG), the largest integrated healthcare delivery system in San Diego. During his tenure, SRSMG was recognized as a top performer in California's Pay for Performance Program for five consecutive years with outstanding results in clinical quality, patient experience, and use of information technology. SRSMG is a 2007 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award recipient and 2010 Acclaim Award Honoree. The Acclaim Award is AMGA’s highest honor.
“New payment models, regulatory burdens, physician burnout, consolidation in the market, and increased patient expectations for convenience and service are just a few of the challenges our members face,” Dr. Penso noted. “My aim is for AMGA to be our members’ preferred partner as they navigate the transition to value-based and high-performance health models. I’m committed to ensuring AMGA becomes an even stronger voice in changing and improving health care, and supporting our members in meeting the needs of patients. I look forward to bringing members and other stakeholders together for this important work.”
Dr. Penso replaces Donald W. Fisher, Ph.D., CAE, who passed away in March 2017 and served as AMGA president and CEO for more than 35 years. Ryan O’Connor, M.B.A., CAE, AMGA’s vice president, membership and marketing, has served as interim president and CEO, since June 2017.
In addition to his work at AMGA and SRSMG, Dr. Penso has served on the Integrated Healthcare Association Board of Directors, the California Cooperative Healthcare Reporting Initiative Executive Committee, and Board of Directors of the Behavioral Diabetes Institute, and chaired the Technical Quality Committee for California’s Pay for Performance program. He currently serves on the Board of the Pharmacy Quality Alliance.
Dr. Penso received his Master’s of Business Administration from San Diego State University, his Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.
About AMGA
AMGA is a trade association leading the transformation of health care in America. Representing multispecialty medical groups and integrated systems of care, we advocate, educate, innovate, and empower our members to deliver the next level of high performance health. AMGA is the national voice promoting awareness of our members’ recognized excellence in the delivery of coordinated, high-quality, high-value care. More than 175,000 physicians practice in our member organizations, delivering care to one in three Americans. For more information, visit amga.org
