Michael Apkon, MD, PhD Named New CEO Of Tufts Medical Center

BOSTON, Aug. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- An acclaimed health care administrator, physician and researcher who has held leadership positions at three of the top academic medical centers in North America will become the next Chief Executive Officer of Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children. Tufts MC's Board of Trustees today announced the appointment of Michael Apkon, MD, PhD, MBA, who currently serves as President and CEO for The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto, Canada, to the position following an international search. Dr. Apkon will begin as CEO starting this fall.

"Dr. Michael Apkon is uniquely qualified to take the helm of Tufts Medical Center at this dynamic and exciting time in health care and for our organization," said Joe Campanelli, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Tufts Medical Center. "Over the course of his broad and distinguished career, working in renowned institutions, he developed innovative systems, improved quality, and integrated new technologies – all while ensuring the patient was at the center of decision making."

Dr. Apkon became CEO of the Hospital for Sick Children, also known as SickKids, in January of 2014. The 300-bed hospital, considered one of the best pediatric hospitals in the world, has 11,000 staff, trainees and volunteers and annual revenue of $1 billion. Previously, Dr. Apkon served as the Chief Medical Officer for Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and the Executive Director at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital in Connecticut.

"This is a wonderful homecoming for me. I am returning to a city my family and I love, to lead an organization I have long respected and admired. In fact, it is family who brought this opportunity to my attention. My daughter, a second-year medical student at Tufts University School of Medicine sent me the internal email announcing the search," said Dr. Apkon, a native of Framingham, Massachusetts. "The Boston health care market is one of the most influential in the world, and the role Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children play is critical.  I am honored to be chosen to lead this outstanding organization and be part of the growing and innovative Wellforce system."

In his time as CEO at SickKids, Dr. Apkon expanded the hospital's reach and impact by forging an innovative partnership with other Ontario children's hospitals. The Kids Health Alliance members work together to share specialized expertise and resources, improve access and safety, and advance research and education.

A patient safety champion, Dr. Apkon led efforts at SickKids which reduced preventable patient harm by two-thirds in less than three years. At SickKids and CHOP, he expanded international consulting, resulting in safe and effective health care services and new health care facilities abroad, including in South Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Europe. And he inspired his staff. In 2017, Glassdoor named Dr. Apkon as the top-rated CEO of a large organization in Canada, winning the approval of 99 percent of his employees.

"Dr. Apkon transformed a top hospital into the anchor for a top health system, a novel approach in Canadian health care," said Norm Deschene, CEO of Wellforce, the parent organization of Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children. "He understands the benefit of integration across health care entities in driving value while achieving the highest quality. His experience and organizational thinking will be of great benefit as Wellforce strengthens and expands."

Dr. Apkon started his education with a biomedical engineering degree from Northwestern University. He went on to receive his MD and PhD from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and an MBA from Yale School of Management. He is board certified in Pediatrics and Pediatric Critical Care Medicine and has published more than 20 peer-reviewed articles related to quality improvement, patient safety and the application of health care information technology. He also served as a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Toronto, and has held faculty appointments at the University of Pennsylvania and the Yale School of Management.

About Tufts Medical Center and Floating Hospital for Children
Tufts Medical Center is an exceptional, not-for-profit, 415 bed academic medical center that is home to both a full service hospital for adults and Floating Hospital for Children. Conveniently located in downtown Boston, we're the principle teaching hospital for Tufts University School of Medicine. We offer a level one trauma center with a rooftop helipad, are the largest heart transplant center in New England and our renowned research program ranks among the top 10 percent of independent hospitals to receive federal research funding. Our physician network of 1,800 New England Quality Care Alliance doctors represents our strong commitment to health in the community. Tufts Medical Center is a founding member of Wellforce. More at www.TuftsMedicalCenter.org.

SOURCE Tufts Medical Center

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