Leadership
WE BRING EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP TO EACH JOB
The Sutter Physician Services team includes over 600 people working to provide the best health care management and administrative services for our clients. Sutter Physician Services is led by a tested and proven senior management team that brings decades of health care management experience and technical expertise to meet each client’s needs.
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Charles Wirth, Chief Executive Officer
Mr. Wirth, the principal architect of the Sutter Physician Services shared services model, became CEO of the start-up company in late 1998. Mr. Wirth has extensive executive management experience in physician practice management, accounts receivable management, and all facets of capitated health care and information technology. He began his career in the US Army as a healthcare administrator. In 1988 he left the service and became an Associate Administrator at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, moving to Sutter Gould Medical Foundation as CEO in 1993. He holds an MBA from Chaminade University, Honolulu, Hawaii, a Master’s of Education degree from the University of Wisconsin, and is a Graduate of the US Army Command and General Staff College.
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Kenneth Buback, Chief Administrative Officer
Mr. Buback joined Sutter Physician Services in 2003 after serving for over 5 years as Vice President, Human Resources for the Sutter Health organization. He is responsible for Human Resources, Legal, Regulatory Compliance, Strategic Planning, Training & Auditing, Facility Management, Customer Service, and Six Sigma. Prior to joining Sutter, Mr. Buback served as Senior Vice President, Columbia Good Samaritan Health System Services in San Jose, Senior Vice President, St. Francis Medical Center Lynwood, California, and as Director of Organization Development for the 18 hospital Mercy Health System, Farmington Hills, Michigan. Mr. Buback has an undergraduate degree in social sciences from Eastern Michigan University, Masters degree in education and management from Wayne State University, and is active in healthcare management professional activities including publishing and teaching.
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Paul Hudson, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer
As Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer for Sutter Physician Services, Mr. Hudson is responsible for directing the operational departments of Claims, Eligibility, Billing, and Accounts Receivable as well as providing strategic planning, leadership, and delivery of all production information systems, e-services and technology. Mr. Hudson has over 25 years of healthcare experience primarily in academic medical groups and private entities as well as hospital organizations across the nation. Prior to joining Sutter Physician Services, Mr. Hudson was the Chief Business Officer for the Denver Health and Hospital Authority and prior to that he was the Director of Professional Services Operations at the Stanford Hospital and Clinics. Mr. Hudson has an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Management from Northern Illinois University and an MBA from Regis University in Denver.
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David Maggenti, Chief Financial Officer
Mr. Maggenti joined Sutter Physician Services June 2003 and is responsible for all aspects of financial management for Sutter Physician Services and contracted financial management activities for client organizations. Before joining Sutter Physician Services, Mr. Maggenti was CEO of St. Joseph's Medical Resources, part of the Catholic Healthcare West network, and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of MedPartners Provider Network. Mr. Maggenti holds a BS degree in Business Administration and is a licensed CPA. He is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and California Society of Certified Public Accountants.
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Theresa Manley Frei, RN, Chief of the Patient and Client Services Division
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As the head of the Business Process Transformation Division at SPS, Ms. Manley Frei leads the effort to design and implement innovative process improvements and efficient business solutions for clients. She was previously the Director of Clinical Operations and the Patient Safety Officer at the Palo Alto Division of the Palo Alto Medical Foundation, and was the founding chair of the California Patient Safety Action Coalition (CAPSAC). In addition, she is on the American Academy of Ambulatory Nurses (AAACN) expert panel for scope of practice. Ms. Manley Frei graduated with a BSN from Florida State University in 1986; an MBA, St. Mary’s College, Moraga, CA in 2001; and completed the CHCF Healthcare Leaders Fellowship, 2003-2005.
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Michael van Duren, MD, Chief Medical Officer
Dr. van Duren joined Sutter Physician Services in 2008 as the Chief Medical Officer. He oversees all aspects of clinically related managed care operations for Sutter Physician Services including utilization review, quality improvement, clinical performance evaluation, and clinical liaison for client operations. Dr. van Duren also leads the Sutter Medical Network’s affordability strategy and chairs the Optimal Use of Clinical Services and Supplies Work Group. Prior to his appointment, Dr. van Duren was the Vice President of Clinical Services with Hill Physicians Medical Group. He has also been the Chief Medical Officer at San Francisco Health Plan, and a medical director with PacifiCare of California and the Contra Costa Health Plan. Dr. van Duren worked for ten years as a clinician in family medicine and obstetrics. He received his MBA from the Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California in Irvine. He serves on variety of HMO advisory boards and is a national speaker on quality management and physician efficiency measurement.
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Scott Abram, Vice President, Revenue Cycle Operations
Mr. Abram has a combined expertise of over 26 years in health care receivables management. He has administrative responsibility for the billing, accounts receivable, and managed care administration divisions. Prior to joining the SPS leadership team, Mr. Abram led the Pasadena-based central business office of Kaiser Permanente. His familiarity with the Epic practice management suite of applications is a valuable asset to SPS and our clients. Mr. Abram received his Bachelor of Science in Health Services Administration from the University of Arizona. He is a member and fellow of the Healthcare Financial Management Association, a Certified Healthcare Financial Professional (CHFP) and a Certified Manager of Patient Accounts (CMPA).
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Chris Rogers, Vice President, Independent Practice Solutions
Chris Rogers is responsible for the marketing, implementation, installation and maintenance of Sutter Community Connect and IMR for independent provider practices, including practice management software and electronic medical records.
Mr. Rogers brings more than 25 years of executive level healthcare experience to his position at Sutter Physician Services. Prior to joining SPS, Rogers was the Chief Operations Officer at Sutter Pacific Medical Foundation – North Division in Santa Rosa, CA. Preceding SPMF, he was the Chief Operations Officer for a large independent multi-specialty medical group in Greeley, CO, and has served as Executive Director for Physician Services, and Regional Director of Managed Care for the Colorado Region of Banner Health System.
Mr. Rogers received his BS from the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO and his MBA from Colorado State University in Fort Collins, CO.
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