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As director of the Health Policy Institute at the University of Pittsburgh, Mr. James’ primary research interests include health law and policy, malpractice reform, comparative effectiveness and delivery systems research.
He served as the 25th Pennsylvania Secretary of Health and oversaw the regulation of all of the hospitals, nursing homes and managed care plans in the state. He managed 1700 employees of the Pennsylvania Department of Health and a nearly $1 billion dollar annual budget for the implementation of disease surveillance and prevention programs. In his role, Mr. James was responsible for successfully implementing the statewide smoking ban, as well as the most comprehensive law in the country to eliminate health care-acquired infections and new regulations ensuring independent, timely hearing of insurance appeals.
Before his role as Secretary of Health, Mr. James was a partner in the office of LeBoeuf, Lamb law firm in Washington, D.C. His firm focused on insurance and health care corporate law and regulatory matters. Mr. James has served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Service Industries and Finance at the U.S. Department of Commerce.
He advises the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC on health reform implementation and leads the collaborative Comparative Effectiveness Research program that evaluates clinical effectiveness of treatments and services in terms of health outcomes.
He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for his undergraduate studies, and proceeded to obtain a law degree from Illinois Institute of Technology-Chicago Kent College of Law. Mr. James earned his MBA from Illinois Institute of Technology’s Stuart School of Business.
UPMC is a world-renowned, nonprofit health care provider and insurer committed to delivering exceptional, people-centered care and community services. Headquartered in Pittsburgh and affiliated with the University of Pittsburgh Schools of the Health Sciences, UPMC is shaping the future of health through clinical and technological innovation, research, and education. Dedicated to advancing the well-being of our diverse communities, we provide nearly $2 billion annually in community benefits, more than any other health system in Pennsylvania. Our 100,000 employees — including more than 5,000 physicians — care for patients across more than 40 hospitals and 800 outpatient sites in Pennsylvania, New York, and Maryland, as well as overseas. UPMC Insurance Services covers more than 4 million members, providing the highest-quality care at the most affordable price. To learn more, visit UPMC.com.
