Debra Carey, MS

Principal

Health Management Associates

Chicago, IL

[javascript protected email address]

(312) 641-5007

Debra Carey is an experienced and accomplished senior healthcare leader with expertise in urban healthcare and academic medical center management.

She has served in leadership positions including chief executive officer (CEO), chief operating officer (COO), senior vice president, and senior administrator. Prior to joining HMA, she was interim CEO of Cook County Health (CCH) in Chicago overseeing operations during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. During her tenure at CCH, she also served a CEO of Operations and COO of Ambulatory Services where she led a system that included two hospitals, community-based clinics, correctional health, Cook County Department of Public Health, and CountyCare, the county’s managed care plan.

Debra has provided leadership for CCH’s health delivery system encompassing Stroger and Provident Hospitals, a network of community health centers, correctional health services at the Cook County jail, and a county-wide behavioral health network.

As an expert in healthcare service delivery in urban, teaching environments for at-risk populations, Debra’s extensive work experience encompassed many areas of healthcare including operations, healthcare reimbursement, ambulatory, and community health center management, managed care, physician practice management and physician affiliations. While working in complex, matrix academic medical centers in competitive markets, she gained significant experience and knowledge of federal, state, and local systems for financing healthcare services for safety net populations.

In addition to her work at CCH, Debra served the State University of New York (SUNY) system in various leadership roles including CEO and senior vice president for Clinical Affairs for the SUNY Downstate Medica Center’s Hospital System. While there, she led operations of two hospitals and an ambulatory surgery center as well as hospital-based physician practices, managed care population, and community health centers located throughout Brooklyn, New York.

Her work experience also includes positions as associate executive director and COO for Howard University Hospital, senior administration for the Department of Surgery in the Maryland Medical School, and various positions in the Johns Hopkins Medical System.

She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in nutrition from Syracuse University and a Master of Science in health policy and management from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Debra is a Louisiana native who enjoys jazz and blues along with nature walking, and exploring museums and cultural landmarks.