Alice Chen, MD

Volunteer Clinical Professor

Alice Hm Chen, MD, MPH is executive vice president and chief health officer at Centene Corporation, the nation's largest Medicaid and Marketplace managed care organization, where she is responsible for strategies and programs that improve population health for its more than 25 million members. She has more than 35 years of clinical, policy and operational experience with a track record of improving access, quality and affordability of care in provider, purchaser, and payer settings.

Prior to joining Centene, Dr. Chen was chief medical officer at Covered California, the state’s health insurance marketplace, where she led the establishment of the Quality Transformation Initiative, a multi-purchaser program resulting in significant improvements in key quality measures across the state. She previously worked as deputy secretary for policy and planning for the California Health and Human Services Agency, where she led the development of the Office of Health Care Affordability and state’s generic drug manufacturing for insulin initiative, and played a leadership role in the state’s response to COVID.

For over a decade Dr. Chen was a professor of medicine at the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) School of Medicine, based at San Francisco General Hospital, where she served as founding director of the eConsult program and oversaw the ambulatory clinics as chief integration officer. She subsequently served as the inaugural chief medical officer of San Francisco’s $2B-a-year publicly funded, vertically integrated safety net delivery system, where she was the executive operations sponsor for the enterprise implementation of Epic and led the successful Medicaid waiver-supported transition to value based payments.

Dr. Chen is a board certified primary care internist who has published extensively, including in the New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, and Health Affairs, and has been named one of Modern Healthcare’s 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives. She has served on the board of several non-profits including the Harvard University Board of Overseers, and currently serves as co-chair of the CMS Innovation Center’s Health Care Payment Learning & Action Network’s Executive Forum. A graduate of Yale University, Stanford Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, Dr. Chen holds a volunteer faculty appointment at UCSF.
Education
2014 - Lean Black Belt Certification, Rona Consulting Group
MPH, 2001 - Health Policy and Management, Harvard School of Public Health
2000 - Primary Care Internal Medicine Chief Residency, Brigham and Women's Hospital
1999 - Internal Medicine Residency, Brigham and Women's Hospital
MD, 1996 - Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine
BS, 1990 - Environmental Biology, Yale University
Honors and Awards
  • 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives, Modern Healthcare, 2023-2026
  • 2023 Health Career Connection Champion, Health Career Connection, 2023
  • Telehealth Champion of the Year, California Telehealth Policy Coalition, 2020
  • Invited Member, Women of Impact, 2019
  • Annual Leadership Award, San Francisco Community Clinic Consortium, 2016
  • Health Innovators Fellow, Aspen Institute, 2015
  • Safety Net Award for Using Health Information Technology to Advance Performance Improvement, National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, 2010
  • John F. Murray Award for academic excellence and dedication to the humanitarian mission of SFGH, University of California San Francisco SFGH Department of Medicine, 2008
  • Award for Improvement in System-Wide Care Integration, California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, 2007
  • Award for Innovation in Health Care Service Delivery, San Francisco Health Plan, 2007
  • Richard J. Haber Excellence in Teaching Award, University of California San Francisco, SFGH Division of General Internal Medicine, 2006
  • Soros Physician Advocacy Fellow, Institute on Medicine as a Profession, 2003
  • Annual Service Award, Emergency Room Interpreter Law Advisory Committee, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, 2001
  • Arnold C. Dunne Award for Compassionate Patient Care, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, 1997
  • Dean’s Award for Excellence in Clinical Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 1996
Custom Faculty Group
Associated
Publications

  1. Bitton A,
    Bernheim S,
    Chen AH. Navigating The Prevention Paradox: A Framework For Evidence-Based Investment Health Affairs Forefront 2026. PMID:


  2. Chen AH,
    Carson MA,
    Green AP,
    Seligman H. Using Nutritious Food MA Supplemental Benefits To Fight Chronic Disease Health Affairs Forefront 2026. PMID:


  4. Phillips RL,
    Koller C,
    Chen AH. The Path to Coordinated Federal Leadership to Strengthen Primary Health Care Milbank Memorial Fund 2022. PMID:


  6. Chen AH, Ghaly MA. Medicaid as a Driver of Health Equity. JAMA 2022. PMID: 36125484


  7. Agrawal S, Chen AH, Price G, Perla R.. To Advance A National Health And Equity Infrastructure, Measure Drivers of Health Health Affairs Forefront 2022. PMID:


  8. Shete, PB
    Vargo, J
    Chen, AH
    Bibbins-Domingo, K. Equity Metrics: Toward A More Effective And Inclusive Pandemic Response Health Affairs Blog 2021. PMID:


  9. Lee TH, Chen AH. Last-Mile Logistics of Covid Vaccination - The Role of Health Care Organizations. The New England journal of medicine 2021. PMID: 33503340


  13. Chen AH, Chin MH. What if the Role of Healthcare Was to Maximize Health? Journal of general internal medicine 2019. PMID: 31728893


  14. Kanzaria HK, Niedzwiecki M, Cawley CL, Chapman C, Sabbagh SH, Riggs E, Chen AH, Martinez MX, Raven MC. Frequent Emergency Department Users: Focusing Solely On Medical Utilization Misses The Whole Person. Health affairs (Project Hope) 2019. PMID: 31682499


  15. Tuot DS, Liddy C, Vimalananda VG, Pecina J, Murphy EJ, Keely E, Simon SR, North F, Orlander JD, Chen AH. Evaluating diverse electronic consultation programs with a common framework. BMC health services research 2018. PMID: 30355346


  16. Ulloa JG, Russell MD, Chen AH, Tuot DS. A cohort study of a general surgery electronic consultation system: safety implications and impact on surgical yield. Volume 17 of Issue 1. BMC health services research 2017. PMID: 28645288


  17. Makaroun LK, Bowman C, Duan K, Handley N, Wheeler DJ, Pierluissi E, Chen AH. Specialty Care Access in the Safety Net-the Role of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2017. PMID: 28239019


  18. Raven MC, Guzman D, Chen AH, Kornak J, Kushel M. Out-of-Network Emergency Department Use among Managed Medicaid Beneficiaries. Volume 52 of Issue 6. Health services research 2016. PMID: 27861836


  19. Price EL, Sewell JL, Chen AH, Sarkar U. Minding the Gaps: Assessing Communication Outcomes of Electronic Preconsultation Exchange. Volume 42 of Issue 8. Joint Commission journal on quality and patient safety 2016. PMID: 27456415


  20. Kruger JF, Chen AH, Rybkin A, Leeds K, Guzman D, Vittinghoff E, Goldman LE. Displaying radiation exposure and cost information at order entry for outpatient diagnostic imaging: a strategy to inform clinician ordering. BMJ quality & safety 2016. PMID: 26740494


  21. Tuot DS, Leeds K, Murphy EJ, Sarkar U, Lyles CR, Mekonnen T, Chen AH. Facilitators and barriers to implementing electronic referral and/or consultation systems: a qualitative study of 16 health organizations. Volume 15. BMC health services research 2015. PMID: 26687507


  22. Scheibe MM, Imboden JB, Schmajuk G, Margaretten M, Graf JD, Chen AH, Yelin EH, Yazdany J. Efficiency Gains for Rheumatology Consultation Using a Novel Electronic Referral System in a Safety-Net Health Setting. Volume 67 of Issue 8. 2015. PMID: 25623810


  23. Tuot DS, Murphy EJ, McCulloch CE, Leeds K, Chan E, Chen AH. Leveraging an electronic referral system to build a medical neighborhood. Volume 3 of Issue 4. Healthcare (Amsterdam, Netherlands) 2015. PMID: 26699344


  24. Schwei RJ, Del Pozo S, Agger-Gupta N, Alvarado-Little W, Bagchi A, Chen AH, Diamond L, Gany F, Wong D, Jacobs EA. Changes in research on language barriers in health care since 2003: A cross-sectional review study. International journal of nursing studies 2015. PMID: 25816944


  25. McGeady JB, Blaschko SD, Brajtbord JS, Sewell JL, Chen AH, Breyer BN. Electronic Preconsultation as a Method of Quality Improvement for Urological Referrals Urology Practice 2014. PMID:


  26. Mukhtar NA, Toy BC, Burman BE, Yu A, Chen AH, Berman P, Nguyen T, Chan D, Hammer H, McCulloch CE, Khalili M. Assessment of HBV preventive services in a medically underserved Asian and Pacific Islander population using provider and patient data. Journal of general internal medicine 2014. PMID: 25324148


  27. Tuot DS, Sewell JL, Day L, Leeds K, Chen AH. Increasing access to specialty care: patient discharges from a gastroenterology clinic. Volume 20 of Issue 10. The American journal of managed care 2014. PMID: 25365684


  28. Hines JZ, Sewell JL, Sehgal NL, Moriates C, Horton CK, Chen AH. "Choosing wisely" in an academic department of medicine. American journal of medical quality : the official journal of the American College of Medical Quality 2014. PMID: 24970279


  29. Kaplan CP, Livaudais-Toman J, Tice JA, Kerlikowske K, Gregorich SE, Pérez-Stable EJ, Pasick RJ, Chen A, Quinn J, Karliner LS. A randomized, controlled trial to increase discussion of breast cancer in primary care. Cancer epidemiology, biomarkers & prevention : a publication of the American Association for Cancer Research, cosponsored by the American Society of Preventive Oncology 2014. PMID: 24762560


  30. Kruger JF, Chen AH, Rybkin A, Leeds K, Frosch DL, Goldman LE. Clinician perspectives on considering radiation exposure to patients when ordering imaging tests: a qualitative study. BMJ quality & safety 2014. PMID: 24764135


  31. Bailey SC, Wolf MS, Lopez A, Russell A, Chen AH, Schillinger D, Moy G, Sarkar U. Expanding the Universal Medication Schedule: a patient-centred approach. Volume 4 of Issue 1. BMJ open 2014. PMID: 24413344


  32. Kruger JF, Chen AH, Rybkin A, Leeds K, Frosch DL, Goldman E. Clinicians' views on displaying cost information to increase clinician cost-consciousness. The American journal of managed care 2014. PMID: 25495110


  33. Burman BE, Mukhtar NA, Toy BC, Nguyen TT, Chen AH, Yu A, Berman P, Hammer H, Chan D, McCulloch CE, Khalili M. Hepatitis B management in vulnerable populations: gaps in disease monitoring and opportunities for improved care. Digestive diseases and sciences 2013. PMID: 24052195


  34. Chen AH, Murphy EJ, Yee HF. eReferral--a new model for integrated care. The New England journal of medicine 2013. PMID: 23802515


  35. Sewell JL, Day LW, Tuot DS, Alvarez R, Yu A, Chen AH. A brief, low-cost intervention improves the quality of ambulatory gastroenterology consultation notes. Volume 126 of Issue 8. The American journal of medicine 2013. PMID: 23791206


  36. Sewell JL, Guy J, Kwon A, Chen AH, Yee HF. Preconsultation exchange for ambulatory hepatology consultations. The American journal of medicine 2013. PMID: 23597797


  37. Dowdy D, Bishai D, Chen AH. Setting clinical priorities: a framework for incorporating individual patient preferences. Patient education and counseling 2012. PMID: 23073315


  38. Chen AH, Rittenhouse D. The un-managed system of Medicare referrals. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 22374409


  39. Bailey SC, Sarkar U, Chen AH, Schillinger D, Wolf MS. Evaluation of language concordant, patient-centered drug label instructions. Volume 27 of Issue 12. Journal of general internal medicine 2012. PMID: 22451015


  40. Tucker JD, Chen AH, Glass RI. Foreign language assessment and training in U.S. medical education is a must. Academic medicine : journal of the Association of American Medical Colleges 2012. PMID: 22373612


  41. Bailey SC, Hasnain-Wynia R, Chen AH, Sarkar U, Schoua-Glusberg A, Lindquist LA, Schillinger D, Wolf MS. Developing multilingual prescription instructions for patients with limited english proficiency. Volume 23 of Issue 1. Journal of health care for the poor and underserved 2012. PMID: 22643463


  42. Straus SG, Chen AH, Yee H, Kushel MB, Bell DS. Implementation of an electronic referral system for outpatient specialty care. Volume 2011. 2011. PMID: 22195195


  43. Dowdy DW, Horton CK, Lau B, Ferrer R, Chen AH. Patient Follow-up in an Urban Resident Continuity Clinic: An Initiative to Improve Scheduling Practices. Journal of graduate medical education 2011. PMID: 22655154


  45. Kim-Hwang JE, Chen AH, Bell DS, Guzman D, Yee HF, Kushel MB. Evaluating electronic referrals for specialty care at a public hospital. Volume 25 of Issue 10. Journal of general internal medicine 2010. PMID: 20512531


  46. Chen AH, Kushel MB, Grumbach K, Yee HF. Practice profile. A safety-net system gains efficiencies through 'eReferrals' to specialists. Volume 29 of Issue 5. Health affairs (Project Hope) 2010. PMID: 20439891


  47. Chen AH, Yee HF. Improving the primary care-specialty care interface: getting from here to there. Archives of internal medicine 2009. PMID: 19506170


  48. Kim Y, Chen AH, Keith E, Yee HF, Kushel MB. Not perfect, but better: primary care providers' experiences with electronic referrals in a safety net health system. Volume 24 of Issue 5. Journal of general internal medicine 2009. PMID: 19308334


  49. Chen AH, Youdelman MK, Brooks J. The legal framework for language access in healthcare settings: Title VI and beyond. Journal of general internal medicine 2007. PMID: 17957427


  51. Chen AH, Jacobs E. Providing care to patients who speak limited English Medical Management of Vulnerable and Underserved Patients: Principles, Practice, and Populations. Editors: Talmadge King, Margaret Wheeler, Andy Bindman, Alicia Fernandez, Kevin Grumbach, Dean Schillinger, and Teresa Villela 2007. PMID:


  52. Hardt E, Jacobs EA, Chen A. Insights into the problems that language barriers may pose for the medical interview. Journal of general internal medicine 2006. PMID: 16995888


  53. Grubbs V, Chen AH, Bindman AB, Vittinghoff E, Fernandez A. Effect of awareness of language law on language access in the health care setting. Volume 21 of Issue 7. Journal of general internal medicine 2006. PMID: 16808766


  54. Chen A. Doctoring across the language divide. Health affairs (Project Hope) 2006. PMID: 16684747


  55. Smith WR, Bussey-Jones J, Horowitz CR, Whitehurst-Cook M, Chen, AH. Case studies in multicultural medicine and health disparities Multicultural Medicine and Health Disparities. Editors: David Satcher and Rubens Pamies 2006. PMID:


  56. Jacobs E, Chen AH, Karliner LS, Agger-Gupta N, Mutha S. The need for more research on language barriers in health care: a proposed research agenda. The Milbank quarterly 2006. PMID: 16529570


  57. Wilson E, Chen AH, Grumbach K, Wang F, Fernandez A. Effects of limited English proficiency and physician language on health care comprehension. Journal of general internal medicine 2005. PMID: 16117746


  58. Jacobs EA, Chen AH, Karliner L, Fortier JP, Mutha S. Legal and regulatory obligations to provide culturally and linguistically appropriate emergency department services Clin Ped Emerg Med 2004. PMID:


  59. Schillinger D, Chen AH. Literacy and language: disentangling measures of access, utilization, and quality. Journal of general internal medicine 2004. PMID: 15009787


  60. Donohoe MT, Kravitz RL, Wheeler DB, Chandra R, Chen A, Humphries N. Reasons for outpatient referrals from generalists to specialists. Journal of general internal medicine 1999. PMID: 10337037


  61. Beckett WS, Pace PE, Sferlazza SJ, Perlman GD, Chen AH, Xu XP. Airway reactivity in welders: a controlled prospective cohort study. Journal of occupational and environmental medicine 1996. PMID: 8978514


  62. Raftery KA, Smith-Coggins R, Chen AH. Gender-associated differences in emergency department pain management. Annals of emergency medicine 1995. PMID: 7574121