Thomas Graf, MD, FAAFP, will join Ascension Medical Group (AMG) as President on April 15.
A family medicine physician and academic, Dr. Graf has focused on driving quality improvement to lower total cost of care. He has helped develop and publish on care models that have delivered measurably better results for quality, cost, and professional and patient experience in a variety of venues. He has practiced in an integrated delivery system, with over a decade at Geisinger, as well as clinically integrated networks and accountable care organizations (ACOs), including being a founding board member of the National Association of ACOs. He also has worked at academic medical centers through his consulting work with The Chartis Group.
“Dr. Graf’s experience in creating clinically integrated networks and ACOs will be extremely valuable as Ascension Medical Group continues its work advancing personalized care models to best serve our patients,” said Joseph Cacchione, MD, Senior Vice President, Ascension, Ministry Market Executive, Ascension Michigan, and Chief Executive Officer, Ascension Medical Group. “We are pleased to have someone with such depth join our team.”
Dr. Graf comes to AMG from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, serving as Vice President Healthcare Transformation and Chief Medical Officer. In this role, Dr. Graf’s responsibilities included creating a virtually integrated delivery network for 3.8 million commercial, Medicare Advantage and managed Medicaid members across New Jersey and supporting provider systems as they move to accountability for total quality and cost.
He has extensive experience in population health, having been involved in clinical re-engineering and payment model evolution since 2005 with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services in the Physician Group Practice Demonstration project as well as Geisinger’s Proven Care® and ProvenHealth Navigator® programs.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the great progress that AMG is making in becoming the best place to practice medicine and to receive care,” Dr. Graf said. “There is so much opportunity for AMG as it continues its evolution as a high-performing national medical group, and I am excited to join this journey of transformation.”
In addition to serving as a President of the medical group, Dr. Graf also has an expanded role in the organizational redesign of AMG, Ascension Care Management, and managed care services under the new name of Provider and Network Services. This redesign is part of Ascension’s Mission-inspired Transformation efforts to reimagine new ways of working to reach its goals and have an even greater impact on persons in need, all in support of Ascension’s Advanced Strategic Direction.
Dr. Graf earned his Doctor of Medicine from University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and completed his Family Practice Residency at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.
