Physician leader board-certified in health care quality management brings extensive experience to Utah’s first health insurance company
SALT LAKE CITY – Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Utah welcomes Anthony Dowidowicz, M.D., MBA, as its executive medical director. In this role, he will lead the implementation of clinical strategies and drive performance, cost effectiveness, and quality across Utah’s health plan. He will also collaborate with employers offering Regence insurance to develop competitive benefit strategies and enhance plan management in support of their business objectives.
“Dr. Dowidowicz is passionate about improving quality as the driving force in the evolution of health care,” said Dr. Donna Milavetz, senior vice president and chief medical officer at Regence. “As a proven physician leader, he will be a strong asset to our company as we advance initiatives that make the health
care experience simpler, better and more affordable.”
Dowidowicz brings extensive experience to Regence including his most recent position as strategic medical director for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois. In that role, he came to understand challenges that employers face as they navigate the rising costs of health care during difficult financial times. He previously served in various leadership roles including chief medical officer for Adirondack Health and executive medical director at St. Joseph’s Treatment and Recovery Centers, both in New York.
Additionally, Dowidowicz has been deeply involved in treating substance use disorder since the opiate epidemic emerged. He understands its relationship to behavioral health, which will greatly support Regence’s focus on mental health and help advance substance abuse treatment in Utah.
“By focusing on affordability and access to care for Regence members and supporting a strong network of providers, we can lead the advancement of health care in Utah,” said Anthony Dowidowicz, M.D. “When health insurers, providers and employers align over the common goal of enhancing health, we’re
best able to place member well-being at the center of our efforts. This approach emphasizes the importance of collaborative relationships with health care providers and understanding business needs.”
Dowidowicz earned a Master of Business Administration at the MIT Sloan School of Management where he also pursued an advanced scholarship in system dynamics and health care economics with a focus on health insurer-provider alignment. He completed his residency in emergency medicine at the St. Luke’s – Roosevelt Hospital Center of Columbia University in New York City after graduating as a Doctor of Medicine from Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire.
