Atrium Health, previously Carolinas HealthCare System, today announced the appointment of former University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) chief innovation officer Rasu B. Shrestha, MD, MBA as the new executive vice president and chief strategy officer. In his new role, Dr. Shrestha will focus on leading enterprise strategy, including planning and tactical direction for Atrium Health’s strategic roadmap. In addition, he will spearhead a renewed focus on innovation, launching new healthcare inventions, discoveries and ideas to benefit Atrium Health patients and the communities it serves.
Dr. Shrestha will officially join Atrium Health in February 2019, reporting directly to President and CEO Eugene A. Woods. He will take on the position formerly held by Carol Lovin, who was promoted to executive vice president and system chief of staff.
Prior to joining Atrium Health, Dr. Shrestha served as the executive vice president and chief innovation officer for UPMC, responsible for driving UPMC’s innovation strategy, serving as a catalyst in transforming the organization into a more patient-focused and economically sustainable system. In addition, he also served as executive vice president of UPMC Enterprises, which pursues a unique blend of healthcare intelligence, technology expertise, and entrepreneurial drive to develop inventive and commercially successful solutions to address complex healthcare challenges. Dr. Shrestha received his medical degree from CCS University in India, completed his fellowship in informatics from the University of London and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California.
“I am awestruck by the ambitions of Atrium Health to fulfill their mission to improve health, elevate hope and advance healing – for all,” said Dr. Shrestha. “I look forward to working with this incredibly talented team to forge ahead with meaningful strategies, partnerships and opportunities – and to support this organization’s commitment and dedication to its patients and communities.”