The National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems (NAPH) announced the appointment of Dr. Bruce Siegel to the newly created CEO position yesterday, making him the first African American to lead a hospital group.

Currently, Siegel is the director of the Center for Health Care Quality and a professor of health policy at the George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services.

Christine Capito is retiring from the Washington D.C.- based NAPH after 20 years as executive director. Burch told DOTmed News that she is pleased with Siegel's appointment, as he understands public hospitals, the essence of quality issues and has a good vision for the future of safety net providers amid health care reform.
Siegel is a past president and CEO of two different NAPH members. He headed Tampa General Healthcare and New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation in the past. He also served as the Commissioner of Health of New Jersey.

Burch said Siegel will have to deal with "a lot of the implementation issues around health reform, all of those usual challenges, helping our members transition to the era of health reform, understanding the 'new world order,'" she said. "But also most immediately the continuing economic problems in this country and the problems of the states and their budgets."

Siegel will officially take on the responsibilities of NAPH CEO in October.

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