How the ranking was determined

who has made four appearances on the most influential physician executive list, and Dr. Reed Tuckson, executive vice president and chief of medical affairs for UnitedHealth Group, who has made three appearances on the list.

To compile the eighth annual ranking of the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare (before 2011 it was called the 50 Most Powerful Physician Executives in Healthcare), Modern Healthcare and sister publication Modern Physician issued a call for nominations on Nov. 7, 2011. From Nov. 7 through Dec. 16, readers submitted nominations via ModernPhysician.com and ModernHealthcare.com.

Nearly 2,700 nominations were received for this year’s competition. The 100 names receiving the most nominations were then placed on the final ballot. From Jan. 2 through

“Eric Topol has written an extraordinarily important book at just the right moment,” writes Tuckson, who is ninth on this year’s list (his highest placement ever) and was formerly senior vice president of professional standards for the AMA. “Dr. Feb. 10, readers could submit their votes for the candidates they believed should make the final ranking. Nearly 17,000 ballots were cast this year.

Like last year, readers’ votes counted for only 50% of the outcome. The other 50% came from the expert opinions of the senior editors at Modern Physician and Modern Healthcare. Modern Physician and Modern Healthcare also reserved the right to resolve voting irregularities.

For more information on the 50 Most Influential Physician Executives in Healthcare program, please visit the Recognition section of either ModernHealthcare.com or ModernPhysician.com. Topol opens the door for an essential discussion of old challenges viewed through an innovative lens.”

Last year Topol, who is chief academic officer for Scripps Health, placed No. 69 on Modern Healthcare’s 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare list. He also is director of the Scripps Translational Science Institute, whose stated mission is to replace “one-size-fits-all medicine with individualized healthcare” while accelerating innovation and the integration of research findings into medical practice.

Newcomers

Others joining him in making their first appearance on this year’s 50 Most Influential ranking are Dr. Farzad Mostashari, the U.S. national coordinator for healthcare information technology, No. 4; Dr. Kelvin Baggett, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Tenet Healthcare Corp., Dallas, No. 6; Dr. Susan Turney, president and CEO, MGMAACMPE (formerly the Medical Group Management Association), No. 11; Dr. Larry Wellikson, CEO, Society of Hospital Medicine, Philadelphia, No. 17; Dr. Wiley “Chip” Souba, acting director, Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy & Clinical Practice and vice