For the third year in a row, Sutter Health President & CEO Warner Thomas has been recognized among the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare of 2024 by national publication Modern Healthcare.
This prestigious recognition program acknowledges and honors individuals who are deemed by their peers and the senior editors of Modern Healthcare to be the most influential figures in the industry in terms of leadership and impact. Citing Sutter Health’s momentum in increasing access to healthcare in Northern California under Thomas’ leadership, the magazine wrote: “In just two years since his appointment as CEO, Thomas has implemented a bold expansion plan at the Sacramento, California-headquartered system. … These kinds of efforts have boosted the 22-hospital organization’s ability to serve patients.”
“Our list of the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare reflects the important contributions of the men and women who have helped shape the industry in 2024,” said Mary Ellen Podmolik, editor-in-chief of Modern Healthcare. “They come from all corners of the industry, and their leadership has been felt from the doctor’s office to Capitol Hill. We look forward to these honorees continuing to wield their influence to protect and improve patient care.”
Since assuming leadership of Sutter Health in late 2022, Thomas has spearheaded a standard-setting transformation of the nation’s 10th largest health system by addressing head on the national challenge of increasing access to quality healthcare. He launched a bold plan that includes an investment of nearly $1 billion to expand ambulatory care, including 76 new care sites, as well as more than 160 acute/hospital beds. Sutter is also on track to add approximately 1,500 physicians and advanced practice clinicians (APCs) since Thomas became CEO. Now on the way to becoming Northern California’s largest community-based healthcare training institution, Sutter also has established new residencies and academic partnerships to address the shortages of healthcare professionals and widen career pathways.
Already, Sutter is serving 7% more patients than in 2023 and is on track to add 100,000 new patients in 2024. U.S. News & World Report ranked three Sutter hospitals among the nation’s top 50 and five among California’s best, and the system recently hit a historic high in national patient safety recognition. Operating income for the not-for-profit organization has climbed year over year, and Sutter Health continues to earn record-setting philanthropic support.
“This recognition isn’t just an honor for me, but a recognition of the absolutely remarkable work of our Sutter Health teams,” Thomas said. “Their focus on opening more doors to quality care for their fellow Californians is both laser-focused and purpose-driven. It’s an absolute privilege to lead this team to meet the challenges and opportunities presented by the current healthcare landscape and continually ask questions like ‘what if’ and ‘what’s next.’ That’s the work that sets our organization apart.”
Thomas has reshaped Sutter’s culture with the goal of making it the best place to work and practice medicine. A clear outcome of his work to reinvigorate the system, overall staff turnover has dropped 23% this year. Sutter also brought onboard 1,300 new nurses and reduced turnover for this largest segment of its workforce to 10.1%—well below the national average. Similarly, more than three-quarters of physicians and APCs report satisfaction working as caregivers at Sutter Health. Sutter was named to Forbes’ 2024 “Best Employers in California” list—an employee-driven honor informed by national surveys—and was listed in the top 10 healthcare organizations in the state.
Profiles of all the honorees on the 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare of 2024 list from Modern Healthcare are available online at ModernHealthcare.com/100MostInfluential.
