For decades, tens of thousands of individuals visited the United States to receive advanced care they are not able to access in their home countries. Providing world-class care for these individuals requires a deep understanding of their social and cultural as well as their clinical needs.
In 2007, following on the heels of research sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, I worked with a group of healthcare leaders to establish a formal national cooperative to pursue a program of research, education, and outreach – through a supportive partnership between Rush University, the U.S. Department of Commerce, and the University HealthSystem Consortium (now Vizient). In 2013, while serving as NCHL’s CEO, I helped migrate program governance to its current home with the non-profit National Center for Healthcare Leadership. Today the cooperative continues to thrive under its new leadership.