Michael D. Pugh

Michael Pugh has over thirty years of CEO experience in hospitals, health care systems, managed care organizations, consulting and health care services companies. Mr. Pugh is the President and CEO of Verisma Systems, a rapidly growing technology, service and consulting company helping hospitals and other providers remain HIPAA compliant in the release and transfer of patient records.

Mr. Pugh is a nationally known consultant to health care organizations, payer organizations and government agencies. Pugh works with senior leaders and boards on issues of quality, performance, strategy and governance. He is a Senior Faculty member for the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Boston, MA, and works closely with IHI senior leadership on national improvement issues and efforts, including the IHI/RWJF Pursuing Perfection Project.

During his career, Mr. Pugh has served as Principal, Pugh Ettinger McCarthy Associates, LLC, President of Foundation Health Systems Western Division and President of QualMed Health Plans; President/CEO of HCA Medical City Dallas, Dallas, Texas; President/CEO of Parkview Health System, Pueblo, Colorado; and began his CEO career as Administrator of United General Hospital, Sedro Woolley, Washington. Under Pugh's leadership, Parkview Health System was one of the very early starters in the health care quality improvement movement, earning national recognition for its success.

Mr. Pugh continues to be very active in health care leadership. As a former member of the Board of Trustees of the American Hospital Association and former Commissioner of the Joint Commission for Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, he is well-positioned to provide expert support for health care leaders. He also served as Chairman of the Colorado Hospital Association and is a current member of the board of AHA Health Forum, a subsidiary of the American Hospital Association.

Mr. Pugh is a frequent speaker at regional and national health care conferences on the subjects of quality, performance, governance and health care strategy. For many years, Mr. Pugh has been a guest lecturer in the health care administration graduate program at the University of Colorado and has served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Fort Lewis College located in Durango, Colorado.

Mr. Pugh holds a B.S. and an M.P.H. in Health Care Administration from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.