Michael Dowling, President and CEO of Northwell Health (No. 1 on Fair360, formerly DiversityInc’s 2022 Top Hospitals and Health Systems list), has been named by Modern Healthcare as the most influential healthcare leader in America for his response to the COVID-19 pandemic and recognition of health equity and other public health crises.
Dowling was ranked No. 1 on the publication’s “100 Most Influential People in Healthcare” list recently. He has ranked on the list for 16 years, coming in at No. 2 in 2021 and No. 3 in 2020.
Northwell Health is the largest healthcare and private equity employer in the state of New York. In the early days of the pandemic, Dowling led the healthcare network through the first wave of COVID-19 and “worked to upend health inequalities laid bare by the pandemic,” according to a news release.
One initiative he had a hand in is Northwell Health’s Center for Maternal Health, which the healthcare provider unveiled in 2022. The goal of the center is to improve maternal health, especially for women in underserved communities.
“This remarkable recognition truly is a reflection of the collaboration and work ethic elicited by thousands of Northwell team members who deliver compassionate care to our patients each and every day,” Dowling said in a statement. “Of course, our daily focus is on our sickest patients. But to serve our broader community, we also look at health trends both looming on the horizon and lurking under the cover of darkness. That’s why we’ve taken a stand against gun violence. That’s why we’ve opened Northwell’s Center for Maternal Health to reduce maternal mortality, especially among black Americans.”