Rick Diaz Named President/CEO of HealthNet
10/14/2016
After a national search, HealthNet’s Board of Directors has named Rick A. Diaz as HealthNet’s new president and chief executive officer, effective October 14, 2016. He succeeds J. Cornelius Brown, who retired in September after four years at the helm of the state’s largest federally qualified health center. HealthNet provides care annually to more than 59,200 uninsured and underinsured patients in Marion County and beyond through its growing network of 13 primary care health centers and several outreach programs.
“I am very pleased to be part of an organization so important to the lives of our patients and the communities we serve,” Diaz said. “I look forward to working with HealthNet’s board, health care providers, patients and staff to address the health care challenges of our day. This is an unparalleled time of opportunity for community health centers and I feel we are uniquely positioned to meet the growing needs of the uninsured and underinsured in Indianapolis.”
Diaz has more than 20 years of experience in health care management. Prior to his new role, Diaz served as HealthNet’s Chief Operations Officer. He made significant contributions during his three years in this position, bringing a new level of accountability, fiscal responsibility and servant leadership to the organization.
Prior to his work with HealthNet, Diaz served for seven years as Vice President of Operations for Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation, a federally qualified health center providing primary health care, outreach and behavioral health services through its many community health centers in the Southern Illinois area.
Before joining Southern Illinois Healthcare Foundation, Diaz served as the clinic manager/administrator for Warren Clinic, a primary care practice in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Diaz also served as a Department Head for an Allied Health Program at Community Care College in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In announcing the selection, HealthNet Board of Directors Chairperson Toby Salyers said, “I’m very pleased that Rick has accepted this new role as President/CEO. He is extremely intelligent and an energetic relationship-builder. He has a very clear vision for the critical role community health centers play as safety net providers and he has the ability to turn vision into action. He is a true asset at HealthNet.”
Diaz is very involved in health care advocacy and is on numerous regional and national committees concerning patients’ rights. Diaz also serves on several community boards and is actively involved in the Indianapolis community promoting health care access for all.
A husband and father, Diaz has been married to his wife Anna for 20 years and has four children.
A Marine Corps veteran, Diaz has a bachelor’s degree in health care administration from American Intercontinental University and a master’s degree in business administration from Ashford University.
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Since 1968, HealthNet (www.indyhealthnet.org) has been a mainstay in the Indianapolis community. Through its network of community-based health centers, an OB/GYN care center, a pediatric and adolescent care center, a maternal-fetal medicine center and seven school-based clinics, HealthNet annually serves over 59,200 individuals and families. Many of them are uninsured or underinsured and live below the federal poverty level. HealthNet services include: primary and preventive health care; OB-GYN support and coaching for expectant mothers; Healthy Families and Better Indy Babies; dental services; Homeless Initiative Program; counseling, outreach and social service programs. HealthNet's health centers include Barrington Health & Dental Center, Eastside Health Center, Martindale-Brightwood Health Center, Northeast Health Center, Northwest Health Center, People's Health & Dental Center, Southeast Health & Dental Center, Southwest Health & Dental Center, West Health Center, the Care Center at the Tower, the Pediatric and Adolescent Care Center, theHealthNet Pediatric Evening Clinic and the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Center. HealthNet is Indiana's largest Federally Qualified Health Center and is an affiliate of IU Health.