SEATTLE – Regence BlueShield announced today that Dr. Drew Oliveira is joining the regional health plan as their new executive medical director. Based in Seattle, Dr. Olivera will lead Regence’s statewide medical cost and quality stewardship activities, driving health care cost affordability initiatives and engaging key employers and providers to enhance the quality of care for members.
“Dr. Oliveira brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and empathy to his work that resonates with our mission to offer person-focused and economically sustainable health care solutions,” said Richard Popiel, M.D., executive vice president and chief medical officer at Regence. "As Regence continues to advance value-based care, I’m confident Drew will be a tireless advocate for quality and affordability on behalf of our members.”
Dr. Oliveira brings extensive clinical and administrative leadership experience and joins Regence from Aetna, where he served as senior medical director in support of regional and national accounts for the past thirteen years. Before joining Aetna, Dr. Oliveira served as a physician and director of a world-class residency program at Valley Medical Center in Renton, Washington.
“We’d be hard-pressed to find anyone more connected and familiar with the challenges and opportunities in the Washington market,” said Tim Lieb, president at Regence BlueShield. “Dr. Oliveira’s wealth of experience and deep relationships with industry partners and stakeholders will be an asset to the Regence team.”
Dr. Oliveira received his MD from the University of California and completed his Family Practice Residency at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. He received a Master's Degree in Health Care Administration from the University of Washington and has been a Clinical Associate Professor with the UW School of Medicine.
Dr. Oliveira will join the Regence team on Tuesday, July 24, and will work from the company’s Seattle office.
About Regence BlueShield
Regence BlueShield has been serving Washingtonians in select counties for nearly a century and now provides approximately 1.1 million members with comprehensive health insurance solutions. As a nonprofit independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, Regence is part of a family of companies dedicated to transforming health care by delivering innovative products and services that change the way consumers nationwide experience health care. For more information, please visit regence.com, facebook.com/regenceblueshieldwa or twitter.com/regencewa.