Mr. Woods leads Advocate Health, the nation’s third-largest nonprofit integrated health system, with a sweeping strategic vision to redefine care. In just the past year, his leadership has produced a remarkable series of milestones, including the opening of “The Pearl” innovation district featuring Charlotte’s first four-year medical school and the exclusive North American headquarters of the surgical training and research center IRCAD. He also facilitated the launch of the Advocate Health National Center for Clinical Trials to democratize access to breakthrough treatments, as well as a billion-dollar investment on Chicago’s South Side, including a new hospital and 10 neighborhood care sites, aimed at addressing a 30-year life expectancy gap in the community. Under his “REWIRE 2030” strategy, Mr. Woods has overseen the scaling of AI initiatives saving clinicians up to one hour per day in documentation, the launch of national service lines bringing top clinical expertise across the system footprint, and the achievement of $1.5 billion in annual cost savings since the system’s formation in December 2022. His commitment to safety and quality has driven a striking increase in Leapfrog “A” safety grades, going from 5 to 24 hospitals in a single year, alongside a 14% reduction in mortality since Advocate Health was formed. In addition, the system delivered $6.2 billion in community benefit in the past year alone. The system earned the 2025 American Medical Association “Joy in Medicine Gold” recognition, making it the largest health system to be honored at the highest level. This achievement is a direct result of Mr. Woods’ “Best Place to Care” initiative and a culture where 87% of teammates recommend Advocate as a safe place to receive care. Mr. Woods has chaired both the American Hospital Association board of trustees and the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond board, and currently serves on the board of Johnson & Johnson. He has received the National Center for Healthcare Leadership’s “Gail L. Warden Leadership Excellence Award,” among numerous other honors.
