Richard J. Umbdenstock, FACHE
Richard J. Umbdenstock became president and chief executive officer of the American Hospital Association (AHA) on January 1, 2007. Previously, he was the elected AHA Board Chair in 2006. The AHA leads, represents and serves more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and 43,000 individual members.
Umbdenstock’s career includes experience in hospital administration; health system governance, management and integration; association governance and management; HMO governance; and health care governance consulting. He has written books and articles for the health care board audience and has authored national survey reports for AHA, HRET and ACHE. He received a B.A. degree in Politics from Fairfield University (CT), and a master’s in Health Services Administration from SUNY- Stony Brook. He is a Fellow of ACHE.
As AHA president, Umbdenstock served as Vice Chair of the National Quality Forum, on the Board of Enroll America, and co-chaired the CAQH Provider Council. He also served on the National Priorities Partnership. His honors include the B’nai B’rith International 2014 National Healthcare Award; the American College of Healthcare Executives 2015 Gold Medal Award; the American Organization of Nurse Executives 2015 Honorary Member Award; the Federation of American Hospitals Inaugural Health Care Leadership Award; the National Center for Healthcare Leadership 2015 Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award; the Seattle Business magazine 2016 Health Care Lifetime Achievement Award; and, the AHA’s establishment of the Richard J. Umbdenstock—Institute for Diversity in Health Management Executive Fellowship and the title of President Emeritus upon his retirement in 2015.
