Name: Akil McClay
Title: Vice President of Population Health for INTEGRIS Health
Akil McClay is a transformational healthcare executive with more than 15 years of experience advancing value‑based care, operational performance, and enterprise growth across major U.S. health systems. He currently serves as the Vice President of Population Health at INTEGRIS Health, where he leads systemwide revenue strategy, payer partnerships, and value‑based care operations for a $3B health system spanning 16 hospitals. His leadership has driven significant financial turnarounds, multi‑state ACO expansion, and major improvements in quality, risk adjustment, and provider engagement.
Before joining INTEGRIS Health, McClay served as Chief Operating Officer of Population Health for Bon Secours Mercy Health, overseeing four clinically integrated networks and two Medicare Shared Savings Program ACOs across four states. Under his leadership, the organization achieved record-breaking financial performance, including multiple top‑10 national MSSP rankings and more than $150M in shared savings across four years.
McClay’s earlier roles include serving as Director of Alternative Payment Model Operations at Trinity Health, where he directed value‑based operations across 17 CINs in 22 states, generating nearly $300M in shared‑savings revenue; and multiple leadership roles at SSM Health, where he drove systemwide population health initiatives, payer contracting strategies, and care transformation projects.
Throughout his career, McClay has been recognized for building high‑performing teams, scaling innovative value‑based care models, and creating sustainable financial and operational frameworks for health systems managing millions of attributed lives. He holds aMaster of Healthcare Administration from the University of Missouri, aMaster of Neuroscience from Tulane University, and aBachelor of Psychology from Southern University.
Q: Do you believe culture changes the way doctors practice medicine?
Absolutely. Culture shapes how people view health, illness, treatment, and even the healthcare system itself. As a result, physicians inevitably practice medicine through the lens of their own cultural background—and through the cultural expectations of the communities they serve.
In my work in population health, I see how cultural beliefs influence communication styles, patient trust, treatment adherence, and decision‑making. When doctors are culturally aware, they build stronger relationships and deliver more personalized, effective care.
Q; When you hear the term “public health”, what does it mean to you?
To me, public health means creating the conditions for every person to live the healthiest life possible. It’s about looking beyond the walls of the clinic and understanding the broader forces that shape well‑being—housing, food access, education, environment, policy, and community support.
Public health is proactive. It’s about prevention, equity, and systems change, not just treating illness after it appears. As someone working in population health, I see it as the bridge between healthcare delivery and community reality.
Q: What skills do healthcare leaders need to help improve public health?
Healthcare leaders today need a blend of strategic, analytical, and human‑centered skills. Some of the most important include:
- Systems thinking: The ability to understand how policy, care delivery, social services, and community dynamics interconnect.
- Cultural humility: Recognizing that diverse communities have diverse needs and values.
- Data literacy: Using data to identify disparities, guide decisions, and measure impact.
- Collaboration: Working across sectors—education, housing, government, nonprofits—to achieve community‑level change.
- Communication: Explaining complex issues clearly, empathetically, and persuasively.
- Leadership: In public health, it means balancing compassion with strategic execution.
Q: What should young people learn about public health?
I think young people should understand that public health is everywhere. It’s the clean water they drink, the air they breathe, the food safety standards they rely on, and the policies that shape community well‑being.
They should learn that:
- Health isn’t just about biology, it’s shaped by where you live, learn, work, and play.
- Public health is deeply tied to fairness and equity.
- Careers in public health are diverse and meaningful, ranging from epidemiology to community advocacy to health policy.
Most importantly, young people should realize they have power—public health improves when communities get involved and speak up.
Q: What advice would you give students who are interested in healthcare or public health?
I would tell them to stay curious and stay connected to their “why.” Healthcare and public health can be complex fields, but they’re also deeply rewarding.
- Explore broadly: Try different roles—clinical, community‑based, research, policy—to see what resonates.
- Listen to communities: Real understanding comes from hearing people’s stories and experiences.
- Build strong communication skills: No matter what your role, you will need to explain ideas, influence decisions, and collaborate.
- Embrace data: It’s a powerful tool for improving care and reducing disparities.
- Lead with empathy: Technical skills matter, but compassion is what truly transforms health.
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