Health New England is pleased to announce the recent appointment of Ira M. Klein, MD, MBA, FACP, to the role of Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. In this position, Dr. Klein is responsible for ensuring the quality and cost-effectiveness of health care services for Health New England members, and will focus on clinical excellence, innovation and technology to improve health outcomes.

Dr. Klein joins Health New England’s executive leadership team and reports directly to Richard Swift, President and CEO, Health New England.

“We are excited to welcome Dr. Ira Klein as our new Chief Medical Officer. With decades of experience in the health care industry, he is uniquely qualified to serve our members and strengthen our mission to improve the health and lives of the people in our communities,” Swift said. “He is joining Health New England at a very important time and will be a tremendous asset to our organization and our community.”

Before joining Health New England, Dr. Klein served as Senior Director and Lead, Healthcare Quality Strategy at Janssen for Johnson and Johnson, Inc., in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Previously, he held various positions at Aetna, Inc., in Hartford, Connecticut, including Medical Director, Patient Management, Northeast Region; Senior Medical Director and Analyst, National Accounts; and Chief of Staff and National Medical Director, Clinical Thought Leadership.

Dr. Klein has published articles in several medical and insurance industry journals. In addition, he is active on various industry committees, including National Academy of Medicine; Pharmacy Quality Alliance; National Quality Forum; Network for Excellence in Healthcare Innovation; Foundation for eHealth Initiative; National Pharmaceutical Council; Pharmaceutical Research & Manufacturing Association; and Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative.

Dr. Klein is a Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and a member of the American College of Physicians. He is a Certified Health Insurance Executive with the Association of Health Insurance Plans, Executive Leadership Program.

Dr. Klein holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Rutgers – The State University of New Jersey, Graduate School of Management; a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey – Robert Wood Johnson Medical School; and a Bachelor of Science degree from Rutgers University, College of Pharmacy.