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Robert Flannery

Senior Vice President and CFO

UW Health

Madison, WI

Mr. Flannery is responsible for the financial wellbeing of UW Health, the integrated health system and academic medical center affiliated with the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. The system has more than 26,500 employees across Wisconsin and Illinois, including 2,000 physicians. His responsibilities span finance, payer contracting, treasury management, physician compensation, revenue cycle and physician practice management, and he leads the financial sustainability committee that reviews new initiatives to find efficiencies and maintain margins. Mr. Flannery has guided UW Health to navigate the headwinds that have driven many organizations into negative margins and closures while ensuring adequate resources to meet rising demand for patient care. He led the complex interorganizational agreements central to the system’s strategy, including the financial configuration of the UW Health and Madison-based UnityPoint Health—Meriter joint operating agreement, a rare alignment of integrated finances and operations between a major academic medical system and a community hospital. He also oversees the complexity of funds flowing between the health system and the university, as UW Health is an independent public authority, and the system’s positive margin has allowed its ambitious multiyear capital plan and workforce development priorities to move forward. UW Health University Hospital has been named the No. 1 hospital in Wisconsin 14 years in a row by U.S. News & World Report and was ranked No. 31 in the nation on Newsweek‘s “World’s Best Hospitals” 2026 list. Mr. Flannery serves on several boards, including Quartz Health Plan, and is co-chair of Vizient’s CFO network steering committee.

Becker's Recognition

Robert Flanneryhas been named a Becker's honoree on the lists below.

2024 Winner

Executives

Academic Medical Center CFOs to Know

Academic medical centers bring together quality patient care with innovative research and education. The CFOs responsible for the overall financial health of these institutions lead long- and short-term financial strategies, manage large budgets and oversee strategic partnerships.

CFO

2025 Winner

Executives

Academic Medical Center CFOs to Know

Academic medical centers bring together quality patient care with innovative research and education. The CFOs responsible for the overall financial health of these institutions lead long- and short-term financial strategies, manage large budgets and oversee strategic partnerships.

CFO

2026 Winner

Executives

180 Hospital and Health System CFOs to Know

The chief financial officers featured on this list are helming financial functions for health systems and hospitals throughout the U.S. These leaders are instrumental in strategic financial planning, expansions and joint ventures for their organizations. These CFOs take on responsibility for the financial sustainability of their hospitals and health systems, and are key to their organizations’ overall success.

CFO

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