Providence president and CEO Rod Hochman, M.D., announces retirement
A visionary leader, Dr. Hochman played a key role in advancing health care over a 45-year career.
RENTON, Wash., May 15, 2024 – After 45 years in health care, including 17 with the Providence family of organizations, Rod Hochman, M.D., today announced that he will retire as president and CEO of Providence at the end of this year, moving into a CEO emeritus position effective Jan. 1, 2025. Meanwhile, the Providence St. Joseph Health Board of Directors has initiated a process for selecting the next CEO, continuing the momentum established by Dr. Hochman.
“Serving alongside everyone at Providence has been the highlight of my career. Every day, our physicians, nurses and caregivers make an important difference in the lives of millions of people, delivering compassionate, high-quality care for millions of individuals, one patient at a time. I have no doubt that, with our caregivers’ ongoing dedication to the Mission, Providence will continue to flourish and grow in ways we have yet to even imagine,” Dr. Hochman said.
Under his leadership, Providence expanded to meet growing community needs, especially those who are most vulnerable. Today, Providence is a family of 120,000 health care professionals, serving in 51 hospitals, more than 1,000 clinics and hundreds of programs and services across seven states. This includes joining with Irvine, Calif.,-based St. Joseph Health in 2016, as well as Swedish Health Services, Pacific Medical Centers and the Institute for Systems Biology in Seattle; and Kadlec Medical Center in Richland, Wash.
“Rod's leadership in the health care sector has been nothing short of visionary,” said Rick Pollack, president and CEO of the American Hospital Association. “He consistently stays ahead of the curve, always looking towards the future, a step ahead of everyone else. His passionate advocacy for expanding coverage and applying innovation to enhance care and the patient experience has not only improved the lives of millions of Americans but has also set a new standard for hospitals and health systems. Rod's integrity and commitment to principled leadership have made him a mentor and role model to many, including myself.”
Dr. Hochman recruited talent from the tech world to help bring health care into the digital age, increasing access through virtual care and setting the stage for AI and data-driven advancements. He led the formation of Truveta, a consortium of the nation’s leading health care systems, to securely aggregate deidentified data for greater insight into preventing, treating and curing disease. He also tapped into Hyderabad, India’s status as a technology leader, opening the first U.S. health care global capabilities center. Today, Providence India is helping to accelerate digital transformation and ensure vital patient-care IT systems are fully monitored, supported and protected 24 hours a day seven days a week.
“Dr. Hochman has led the way in a changing world while always keeping the focus on the Mission,” said Sr. Mary Haddad, RSM, president and CEO of the Catholic Health Association. “In particular, he has been a tireless voice for those who are most vulnerable and one of the most vocal advocates nationally for Medicaid expansion. His advocacy has played an important role in expanding access to care for millions of people across the U.S. We will forever be grateful for the impact he has made on behalf of those in need.”
During his tenure, Providence’s commitment to charity care, unsubsidized Medicaid and other community benefit activities grew to more than $2.1 billion annually. In addition, in response to the mental health and opioid crisis in the U.S., he led the establishment of Providence’s Well Being Trust in 2016 with an investment of $100 million to support community-based behavioral health and substance misuse programs. Dr. Hochman also made health equity a strategic priority with Providence committing $50 million in 2020 to reduce health disparities over five years.
Additionally, Dr. Hochman was an early and consistent national voice on health care environmental stewardship, calling for bold action in the health care sector to reduce greenhouse emissions. Providence was the first health system in the U.S. to make a carbon negative pledge, and to join the White House Health Care Sector Climate Pledge.
“Yet, of all we accomplished at Providence, the pandemic was our finest hour,” Dr. Hochman said. “From the moment the first known U.S. patient with COVID-19 was admitted to Providence Regional Medical Center Everett in January of 2020, our caregivers sprung into action, pulling together as a system and bringing our collective knowledge and resources to bear. I will always be inspired by the courage, professionalism and dedication of everyone at Providence.”
An immunologist and rheumatologist, Dr. Hochman served as chair of the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees in 2021 at the height of the pandemic. In this role, he helped guide a coordinated response to COVID-19 among the nation’s hospitals and health systems.
“Dr. Hochman has been a transformational leader who has shaped not only Providence, but the entire health care sector. Thanks to his leadership, our family of organizations is working together across seven states to ensure the highest standard of care by deploying best practices and sharing health care resources. He has helped us envision a new model of health care that will ensure Providence continues to be here for our communities well into the future,” said Michael Murphy, chair of the Providence St. Joseph Health Board of Directors.
On behalf of the Providence St. Joseph Health Sponsors Council, Sr. Maggie Pastro, SP, and Sister Sharon Becker, CSJ, shared: “Dr. Hochman reflects the pioneering and compassionate spirit of the Sisters of Providence and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange. Our tradition of responding to the needs of our communities, especially for those who are most vulnerable, dates back well over 165 years and will live on for many more thanks to his visionary and caring leadership.”
Other leadership roles held by Dr. Hochman include serving as the chair of the Catholic Health Association’s Board of Trustees from 2017-2018. He also served as president and CEO of Swedish Health Services from 2007-2012 and held senior executive roles for Sentara Healthcare, the Health Alliance of Greater Cincinnati and the Guthrie Health System.
Dr. Hochman is the recipient of the 2023 Sister Carol Keehan Award from the Catholic Health Association, the 2022 Health Care Leadership Award from B’nai B’rith, the 2019 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award recipient from the National Center on Healthcare Leadership, the 2017 Vision and Excellence in Health Care Leadership Award from the Partners in Care Foundation, and the 2015 Innovator of the Year by Press Ganey. He was named as one of the most influential people in health care by Modern Healthcare for several years in a row.
He received his bachelor’s and medical degrees from Boston University and served as a clinical fellow in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School and Dartmouth Medical School. In addition, he is a fellow of the American College of Physicians and of the American College of Rheumatology.
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About Providence
Providence is a national, not-for-profit Catholic health system comprising a diverse family of organizations and driven by a belief that health is a human right. With 51 hospitals, more than 1,100 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing, and many other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 122,000 caregivers serving communities across seven states – Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington, with system offices in Renton, Wash., and Irvine, Calif. Learn about our vision of health for a better world at Providence.org.