Susan Huang, M.D., MBA, has officially started as president and chief executive officer of Legacy Health, taking over leadership of one of the Pacific Northwest’s largest nonprofit health systems.
Huang began in the role Monday, June 15. Legacy Health operates seven hospital campuses across Oregon and Southwest Washington, including Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center in Vancouver, a full-service children’s hospital and a behavioral health emergency services facility.
As president and CEO, Huang will lead the organization’s work to strengthen clinical care, expand access, support employees and maintain the long-term sustainability of Legacy’s mission.
“Dr. Huang’s combination of clinical expertise, operational leadership and commitment to patients, caregivers and communities makes her uniquely suited to lead Legacy,” said Leslie Root, M.D., chair of the Legacy Health Board of Directors. “We are excited to welcome her to Legacy and look forward to partnering with her as we build on the organization's strong foundation and continue advancing our mission of serving patients and communities throughout the region.”
During her first weeks, Huang plans to focus on listening and learning across the health system while meeting with physicians, clinicians, caregivers, leaders and staff. In the coming months, she also plans to spend time in the communities Legacy serves and hear directly from patients and others who rely on the system for care.
“Legacy Health has a strong mission, exceptional people and an essential role in the lives of patients and communities across Oregon and Southwest Washington,” Huang said. “I’m honored to join the Legacy team and look forward to working with physicians, clinicians, caregivers, leaders and staff across the organization as we continue to deliver high-quality care and move Legacy forward in ways that matter to patients and communities.”
Before joining Legacy, Huang served as chief physician executive and chief executive of the Providence Clinical Network, where she helped lead clinical strategy and operations across a large health care system. She previously served as CEO of Providence Health Network, a California payer-provider organization, and led value-based care efforts at Palo Alto Foundation Medical Group, part of Sutter Health.
Huang is a board-certified dermatologist. She earned a biochemistry degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard College and received her medical degree from Harvard Medical School. She completed her internship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and her dermatology residency through the Harvard Combined Dermatology Program, where she served as chief resident. She also holds an MBA.
Legacy Health is a nonprofit, integrated health system with more than 14,000 employees in Oregon and Washington. The system also operates an ambulatory services network with 70 clinic locations and provides a broad range of health care services across the region.
