Becker’s Hospital Review has named Warner Thomas, president and CEO of Sutter Health, to its 2025 list of Great Leaders in Healthcare.
Referring to him as a “national healthcare leader and policy influencer,” Becker’s writes that Thomas’ leadership has expanded access, enhanced workforce development and driven digital innovation for the integrated healthcare system, which cares for 3.5 million patients across Northern California. He has spearheaded efforts to expand access to care through new and enhanced care sites, physician recruitment, widening pathways for the next generation of caregivers, new seamless digital solutions for care teams and patients, and much more.
Thomas launched a bold plan that includes almost $1 billion in ambulatory expansions, including 76 new care sites, plus more than 160 hospital beds. Several new centers came online in 2024 with another 24 expected in 2025. Increasing access to care has also extended to growing the healthcare workforce—with levels of success that stand out in the industry, adding nearly 1,000 new clinicians in 2024. Now on the way to becoming Northern California’s largest community-based healthcare training institution, Sutter is growing its medical residency programs, academic partnerships and workforce development investments to widen career pathways for future generations of caregivers.
To support these caregivers and the patients they serve, Thomas is championing a person-centered approach to digital advancements to meet modern consumer expectations of convenience by making care easier to access and navigate. Investments to infuse AI, data and other technology advancement across the system are reshaping care for patients and easing the workload for physicians and care teams.
To read more about Thomas and the full list of Great Leaders in Healthcare, visit the Becker’s site.
