Beth Israel Lahey Health President and CEO Kevin Tabb, MD, Announces Leadership Transition
Leadership Successes Include Formation of BILH System, Expanded Access to Care for Patients Throughout the Region, and Collaboration with Dana-Farber
Cambridge, MA — Beth Israel Lahey Health (BILH) President and Chief Executive Officer, Kevin Tabb, MD, today announced that he gave notice to the board that he will be stepping down in a year, after more than 14 years of transformative leadership of the system and its predecessor healthcare providers. Dr. Tabb will continue in his role until a successor is selected and a smooth transition is fully supported.
Dr. Tabb has served as President and CEO of BILH since its formation in 2019, guiding the system’s integration and establishing it as one of New England’s largest and most trusted healthcare networks. Today, BILH includes 14 hospitals, 42,000 employees — including more than 4,800 physicians — and provides care to 1.7 million patients each year. Under Dr. Tabb’s leadership, the system united academic medical centers, teaching hospitals, community hospitals, specialty facilities, and a broad ambulatory network under a shared purpose to expand access to high-quality care. Dr. Tabb advanced initiatives designed to connect care across the system, assure a high-quality patient experience, expand access to behavioral health, and support proactive population health measures. He led BILH through the COVID-19 pandemic with a coordinated, systemwide response that protected patients and staff while maintaining essential services across all communities the system serves.
“Working alongside our extraordinary community of caregivers has been one of the great privileges of my life,” said Dr. Tabb. “Now is the right time for the organization to begin its search for the next leader. We have never been stronger or more united in our purpose. When I came to Boston so many years ago, I never imagined that together we would do so much for so many.”
“By every measure, Kevin has been an influential leader and he will be celebrated over the coming year for his long list of accomplishments, all of which have been guided by his deeply rooted sense of mission,” said Ann-Ellen Hornidge, Chair, BILH Board of Trustees. “On a personal level, it has been an honor to serve as the chair of the BILH Board during Kevin’s tenure as CEO. He has a true gift for relationships — a gift that has shaped our culture as a new system, our model of care for our patients, our connection to community, our leadership team, our support for clinicians and staff, and the external partnerships that fuel our work. The BILH Board is appreciative of his stewardship and service.”
Under Dr. Tabb’s leadership, BILH has made meaningful advances across every aspect of operations. The system has strengthened its ability to deliver the highest levels of complex care in its academic medical centers, while also expanding access across the communities it serves. Today, nearly two thirds of all care is delivered in community settings, including inpatient and outpatient care, reflecting a deliberate strategy to bring high-quality services closer to home. BILH has also significantly expanded its primary care footprint, achieving a 30% increase in primary care clinicians over the past four years, which has enhanced access for patients seeking care.
BILH has deepened its academic mission as well, complementing its longstanding affiliation with Harvard Medical School by establishing a major new teaching relationship with UMass Chan School of Medicine, broadening opportunities to train the next generation of clinicians. At the same time, the system’s research enterprise has changed lives, with thousands of researchers advancing discovery and innovation across multiple clinical and scientific disciplines.
Dr. Tabb played a pivotal role in the creation of the new partnership between Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, designed to redefine how cancer care is delivered across the region. The collaboration integrates Dana-Farber’s internationally recognized oncology excellence with the world-class expertise of BIDMC and its affiliated physician organization Harvard Medical Faculty Physicians (HMFP).
“Kevin Tabb has been a transformative healthcare leader who has had a tremendous impact on academic medicine. He has been a truly visionary partner in building the collaboration between Beth Israel Deaconess and Dana-Farber,” said Benjamin L. Ebert, MD, PhD, President and CEO, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. “This collaboration, including the region’s only adult inpatient cancer hospital, will benefit generations of cancer patients and simply would not have been possible without Kevin’s leadership, integrity, and steadfast commitment to patients. The team he assembled and inspired is exceptionally well prepared to carry this work forward.”
Prior to the creation of BILH, Dr. Tabb served as Chief Executive Officer of BIDMC beginning in 2011. He strengthened BIDMC’s operational and financial performance, expanded clinical and academic programs, and furthered community health initiatives across the region.
Dr. Tabb’s transition marks the culmination of a career defined by advancing clinical quality and patient access, and building connected systems of care that prioritize the patient experience. Before joining BIDMC, Dr. Tabb was Chief Medical Officer at Stanford Hospital & Clinics in Stanford, California. There, he had broad strategic and operational responsibilities, which included physician network strategy, clinical quality and patient safety initiatives, regulatory and medical staff affairs, and graduate and continuing medical education. He was previously Chief Quality and Medical Information Officer at Stanford. Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Tabb led the Clinical Data Service Division of GE Healthcare IT.
Raised in Berkeley, California, Dr. Tabb emigrated to Israel at the age of 18. He received his undergraduate degree from Hebrew University in Jerusalem and his medical degree from the Hebrew University Hadassah Medical School. Dr. Tabb completed his residency in internal medicine at Hadassah Hospital.
Dr. Tabb has been an influential voice in shaping healthcare across the Commonwealth. As former Board Chair of the Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association (MHA), he played a central role in statewide efforts to strengthen hospital operations, expand health equity, support the workforce, and advance sustainable payment and delivery models.
“During times of crisis, from the Marathon bombings to the COVID-19 pandemic, Kevin has always stepped up to support the people of Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “I’ve had the privilege of working with him for many years and have seen firsthand how he leads with both compassion and resolve. Kevin’s leadership has strengthened health care across our state, and I’m grateful for his partnership and service.”
“Dr. Tabb’s career has been defined by his fearless vision and creativity, sharp intellect, and relentless focus on improving the lives of patients and caregivers,” said Steve Walsh, President and CEO, Massachusetts Health & Hospital Association. “He has been an influential voice for all of Massachusetts healthcare and shaped important policy conversations across the commonwealth — speaking practically and frankly about patient care needs, workforce dynamics, and the day-to-day work of local hospitals. He will be missed among his healthcare colleagues and by the countless patients who he’s served without ever having known.”
Dr. Tabb will continue to lead BILH throughout the next year, with a continued focus on delivering on the promise of healthier communities and managing the challenges all healthcare institutions face operating sustainably in a complex environment. He will continue to do this work with a strong systemwide leadership team, outstanding clinical, academic, and administrative leadership, and the support of the system’s dedicated employees.
The BILH Board of Trustees, which is responsible for selecting and hiring the new President and CEO, will conduct a national search for a new leader. The search is expected to take approximately 8-10 months and will be supported by the executive committee of the Board and an expert search firm.
“Kevin has built an organization positioned for continued success, and the board is grateful to have the time to conduct a rigorous search for the next leader to build on this strong foundation,” added Hornidge.
About Beth Israel Lahey Health
Beth Israel Lahey Health is a healthcare system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.
