Health Systems and Population Health

Research Interests

Healthcare Delivery, Healthcare Outcomes

Bio

Preston Simmons is driven by the complexity and challenges of today’s health care ecosystem and the health and wellbeing of our communities. He has been a key strategist, innovator, successful operator and Board member in many organizations focused upon solving the human-condition challenges of our time. In his core career in healthcare, Preston has positively impacted an industry-wide redesign of how providers serve patients and communities in different and better ways. He has worked tirelessly to define a better value equation. Simmons sees the current climate providing the opportunity and responsibility to serve people to achieve better health and community outcomes, with higher quality and at a lower cost structure.

Overview

Preston Simmons is a purpose and mission-driven multi-disciplinary senior executive, able to lead and collaborate across numerous executive and technical functions and across sectors. He has demonstrated success in innovating and managing all aspects of a multibillion-dollar business, as well as in leading significant change. Simmons couples many years leading in complex operating environments with a drive for developing functional solutions that benefit both people and profit. He is recognized for providing caring leadership, focused on investing in talent, coaching and teaching those in his circle, and insisting upon measurable positive impact toward agreed-upon objectives. In addition to contributing well-supported strategic vision, Simmons has exhibited time and again successful outcome achievement through applied tactical ideation and guidance. Preston is known for collaborative influence both within organizations and through external partnerships, championing innovation, advocating for mission, and leading with courage, care, and purpose. He has applied the same rigor, passion and purpose to his many governance roles.

Recent Career History

Most recently, Dr. Simmons served Providence Health & Services as Chief Executive of its Alaska Region. Providence is the nation’s third largest fully-integrated healthcare system covering seven Central and Western U.S. regions, applying over 120,000 staff members serving 28.1 million patient visits in 52 hospitals and over 1085 clinics along with a comprehensive range of social and health services. While in his Alaska role, he led an organization that provides 50% of the healthcare in greater Anchorage and 30% for the entire state of Alaska. He developed key initiatives redesigning leadership and operating structures positively impacting culture, quality and the effective system of care, while also leading Statewide, foundational multi-sector and multidisciplinary efforts to move Alaska toward positive value based care models.

Prior to assuming the Alaska roles, he played key senior executive roles as Chief Operating and Administrative Officer of Providence’s Western Washington Region and Chief Executive for the Northwest Region. Dr. Simmons joined the Providence group in 2007 and throughout his Providence tenure led important strategic and innovative change resulting in enhanced regional competitiveness, operating and quality enhancements, and better patient outcomes. Earlier in his career, Simmons served as the senior associate administrator at the University of Washington Medical Center, was CEO of a rural hospital in Page, Arizona, and served in senior leadership roles at Stevens Hospital in Edmonds, WA and the former Ballard Community Hospital in Seattle, WA.

Education

MHA University of Washington, 1985
BS Molecular Biology, University of Washington, 1983
FACHE American College of Healthcare Executives,
DSc University of Alabama, 2017