Neurosurgeon Named Among Top 50 Clinical Executives

Donald M. Whiting, MD, FAANS, chief medical officer for the Allegheny Health Network (AHN), was selected as one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. Each year, Modern Healthcare recognizes a select group of clinician executives who their peers and an expert panel deem to be the nation’s most influential leaders. Dr. Whiting created a consortium of regional health system chief medical officers to meet weekly during the pandemic and coordinate care and resource allocation. He also ensured that the health system focused on the needs of front-line workers, including the development of the Heroes Appreciation Program — a $5 million initiative to benefit roughly 12,000 workers in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Finally, Dr. Whiting held a key leadership role in AHN’s vaccination rollout, including large public events and stadiums in Pittsburgh.

Other health care leaders selected for this award included U.S. Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy, MD; Anthony S. Fauci, MD, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle P. Walensky, MD.