David B. Nash MD, MBA

David B. Nash MD, MBA Speaker Biography

Renowned Healthcare Policy Reform and Technology Expert

David B. Nash is a distinguished figure in the realm of healthcare, serving as the Founding Dean Emeritus and a full-time faculty member at the Jefferson College of Population Health (JCPH). As the Dr. Raymond C. and Doris N. Grandon Professor of Health Policy, he brings over three decades of experience to the university. His 11-year tenure as Dean underscores his commitment to JCPH’s mission: developing future healthcare leaders. Indeed, Dr. Nash is a prominent David B. Nash healthcare speaker, sharing his extensive knowledge and insights with audiences nationwide. His dedication to shaping the next generation of healthcare professionals makes him a valuable voice in the ongoing evolution of the field.

Internist and Thought Leader

A board-certified internist, Dr. Nash has garnered international recognition for his significant contributions to public accountability for healthcare outcomes. Furthermore, he is highly regarded for his expertise in physician leadership development and the critical area of quality-of-care improvement. More recently, Dr. Nash achieved widespread acclaim for his insightful thought leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, his expertise led to his appointment as the Chief Health Advisor for the Philadelphia Convention and Visitor’s Bureau (PHL-CVB) during this unprecedented time. As a seasoned David B. Nash healthcare speaker, he offers invaluable perspectives on navigating complex health crises and strengthening healthcare systems.

Influential Voice in Health Policy

Repeatedly acknowledged in Modern Healthcare’s list of Most Powerful Persons in Healthcare, Dr. Nash’s national influence spans a broad spectrum of activities. For example, he is a principal faculty member for quality of care programming at the American Association for Physician Leadership (AAPL). Moreover, he actively serves on the NQF Task Force on Improving Population Health and the esteemed John M. Eisenberg Award Committee for The Joint Commission. Additionally, Dr. Nash is a founding member of the AAMC-IQ Steering Committee, a crucial group dedicated to integrating quality and safety principles into medical education. Most recently, he was appointed to the Executive Research Advisory Council (ERAC) of the Pharmaceutical Quality Alliance (PQA) in Washington, DC. His deep involvement in shaping health policy makes him a sought-after David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

Governance Expertise in Public and Private Sectors

Dr. Nash is a widely recognized governance expert, contributing his insights to both public and private organizations. For over 25 years, he has skillfully chaired the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) of the Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council (HC4). Furthermore, he is considered a pioneer in the crucial area of public reporting of healthcare outcomes. Dr. Nash has also dedicated two decades to serving as a hospital trustee. Notably, he served on the Board of Trustees of Catholic Healthcare Partners (now Mercy Partners) and was the inaugural chair of their Quality and Safety committee. Subsequently, he served on the board of Main Line Health, where he also chaired the Quality and Safety committee. Currently, he lends his expertise to the board of the Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine (GCSOM) and the AMGA Foundation Board. In 2021, he further extended his governance roles by joining the board of CAHME. His extensive experience in healthcare governance makes him a knowledgeable David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

Engagement in the For-Profit Sector

In the for-profit healthcare arena, Dr. Nash recently concluded nearly a decade of service on the Board of Directors for Humana, Inc., a major publicly traded healthcare company. Additionally, in 2014, he joined the board of InfoMC, a leading health information technology company. Moreover, he contributes his expertise to the healthcare advisory board for Arsenal Capital Partners and recently joined the board of their portfolio company, MaxHealth. Finally, Dr. Nash also serves on the board of FOX Rehab, a portfolio company of Blue Wolf Capital. His involvement across various sectors of the healthcare industry provides him with a comprehensive understanding, which he often shares as a David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

Recognition Through Numerous Awards

Over the past three decades, Dr. Nash’s significant achievements have been acknowledged through numerous prestigious awards. These include the top recognition award from the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy (1995), the Philadelphia Business Journal Healthcare Heroes Award (1997), and his recognition as an honorary distinguished fellow of the American College of Physician Executives (now AAPL) in 1998. Furthermore, in 2006, he received the Elliot Stone Award for his leadership in public accountability for health data from NAHDO. Wharton honored Dr. Nash with the Wharton Healthcare Alumni Achievement Award in 2009 and the Joseph Wharton Social Impact Award in 2012. Also in 2012, he received the Philadelphia Business Journal award for innovation in medical education. Most recently, in 2021, he was recognized as a top national communicator for his work with the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau and received the Champion Award from the regional Health Information Exchange (HIE). These accolades underscore his impact as a leading David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

Prolific Author and Influential Publications

Dr. Nash’s influential work is widely disseminated through his extensive publications, frequent public and virtual appearances, and his insightful online column on MedPage Today. He has authored over 100 peer-reviewed articles and skillfully edited 25 books, including The Healthcare Quality Book, Demand Better, and his recent best-selling book, How Covid Crashed the System: A Guide to Fixing American Healthcare. Notably, he served as the inaugural Deputy Editor of Annals of Internal Medicine (1984-1989). Currently, he holds the esteemed position of Editor-in-Chief for both the American Journal of Medical Quality and Population Health Management. His extensive writing and editorial roles solidify his position as a knowledgeable David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

Distinguished Education and Personal Life

Dr. Nash’s academic foundation is strong, beginning with a BA in economics (Phi Beta Kappa) from Vassar College. He then earned his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and an MBA in Health Administration (with honors) from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. While at Penn, he was a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Clinical Scholar and Medical Director of a faculty group practice. He has also received honorary doctorates from several institutions. Dr. Nash has delivered numerous endowed lectures and commencement addresses across the nation. Residing in Ardmore, PA, with his wife, Dr. Esther J. Nash, he is a dedicated family man with three adult children and three grandchildren. His personal interests include tennis, jogging, biking, and yoga. Together, the Drs. Nash have established an annual prize at Jefferson focused on healthcare quality and safety. His well-rounded background enriches his perspective as a David B. Nash healthcare speaker.

David B. Nash MD, MBA Speaking Topics

Demand Better! Revive Our Broken Healthcare System

Much of the healthcare debate is centered on cost - the skyrocketing cost of direct patient care, the cost to insure millions of currently uninsured people, the administrative costs that eat up a large chunk of every healthcare dollar, the cost of defensive medicine to avert malpractice lawsuits. How can it be that we spend more than $700 billion each year on medical care that fails to improve patients’ health and often harms them? There is no easy fix to these problems, of course. But there is the best place to look: focus on quality. The problems are cultural and from persistent unexplained variation in physician practice patterns and from still-inadequate accountability for quality and patient safety. Reclaiming quality by addressing deficiencies will transform the economics of our healthcare system. This is a pivotal moment in American healthcare delivery, marked by tremendous innovation aimed at "busting" our counterproductive myths: improving physician decision-making and devising accountability mechanisms that work. Sharing his vision, strategy and tools, Dr. Nash integrates these topics into a cohesive appraisal of core problems and cutting-edge solutions.

The Quality Solution

Dr. Nash calls on the fields of public health, health administration, medicine, health law, and public policy to improve the quality of health care in the US and participate in the system's transformation. This program offers an overview of current problems and inadequacies; the measures and tools of quality improvement; the role of stakeholders including physicians, employers, and patients; and future possibilities offered by information technology, medical education, and other realms.

Healthcare Quality; Vision, Strategy, And Tools

His program compiles the most current information on quality issues, tools, and strategies impacting healthcare. His core premise is that the key to effective improvement is centering all efforts on the needs of patients. With the future of healthcare revolving around the patient, the tools from this program prove invaluable.

Practicing Medicine in the 21st Century

Dr. Nash discusses the challenges facing physicians today, the characteristics of an ideal practice, how physicians can improve the quality of their care, how physicians can prepare for pay-for-performance (P4P) and the extra training that physicians might find useful in the new era of medical practice.

Predictions for Digital Health and the New Normal

The healthcare industry has undergone massive change due to COVID-19. However, these recent adaptations to the new normal could just be the tip of the iceberg. Dr. David Nash, Founding Dean Emeritus at Jefferson School of Population Health, shares his predictions for the role of digital health in the ‘New Normal’ of healthcare. A new normal that will embrace telemedicine, incentivize positive patient outcomes, and address healthcare inequities at their source