Leadership
WE BRING EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP TO EACH JOB
The Sutter Physician Services team includes over 500 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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Patrick Adams, Chief of Client Services Division
As Chief of Client Services Division, Mr. Adams is responsible for all facets of the company’s relationship with current clients. With over 15 years of extensive management experience in finance and operations Mr. Adams has previously held roles as the Vice President of Operations for Apria Healthcare’s Northern California Region, Vice President of Operations and Administration with Edge Logistics and Director of Operations and Finance with Cardinal Health’s Seattle Division and Pacific North Region. In addition to being a licensed Certified Public Accountant, Mr. Adams also holds a Masters of Business Administration from Seattle University and a Bachelors of Science in Accountancy from San Diego State University.
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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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Thomas Lowry, Vice President of Consulting Services
As Vice President of Consulting Services, Mr. Lowry is responsible for building and managing an array of consultative services aligned with Sutter Physician Services' administrative services. Mr. Lowry has over 20 years of experience in the healthcare industry spanning finance, operations, business development and information technology. As Sutter Physician Services' first Director of Business Development, he was instrumental in the launch of the company. Mr. Lowry holds a Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Montana and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wisconsin.
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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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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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