Alisahah Cole, MD

System VP, Population Health Innovation and Policy, CommonSpirit Health

System Vice President, Population Health Innovation and Policy, CommonSpirit Health

Personal Background

A musician, a physician, a wife and mother, a volunteer, a leader, are just a few descriptions to use during introductions. Above all, Dr. Cole is highly passionate about health equity, advocating that everyone should have the ability to achieve great health, no matter what they look like, how much money they make, or where they come from.

Dr. Cole was born in Dayton, Ohio, where she lived with her mother. She started playing classical piano at the age of 5, and always knew she wanted to be a doctor. Her grandmother played an integral role in her life, instilling in her that everyone deserved grace and kindness.

Education and Professional Development

Dr. Cole received her undergraduate degrees in Music and Biology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. She graduated with her medical degree from Wright State University School of Medicine in Dayton, OH, where she was a National Health Service Corp Scholar. Since serving the underserved had always been a priority, she completed her residency in Family Medicine at Carolinas Medical Center, where she was part of the Urban Track program. During that time, she received the Bryant L. Galusha Intern of the Year Award and served as Co-Chief Resident her final year.

After completing residency, she worked in Union, SC for 4 years, where under her leadership as Medical Director, designated her office as a rural health clinic. She also served as the Medical Director for Interim Healthcare, a home health/hospice company during this time. She returned to Charlotte in 2011, becoming the faculty and Site Director of the Urban Track, where she trained. She completed a Faculty Development Fellowship at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill School of Medicine in 2012, after which she was quickly promoted to Residency Director in 2013. Under her leadership as Residency Director, she expanded the Urban Track Program, successfully merged another Family Medicine Residency program to prevent it from closing in Monroe, NC, and transformed the curriculum to focus on population health. In 2015, she became Vice Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, responsible for the daily operations of the department, as well as the academic and research components. In 2016, she became the first Vice President, System Medical Director of Community Health for Carolinas HealthCare System/Atrium Health, with responsibilities to develop and implement a community health strategy over multiple counties in NC, SC, and GA. In 2018, She was promoted to Chief Community Impact Officer of Atrium Health, with expanding responsibilities over Health Equity, Community Health, Environmental Sustainability, Mobile Medicine, and Faith Community Health Ministry. She was named as Interim Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Atrium Health in 2019. Most recently, she joined CommonSpirit Health as the first System Vice President of Population Health Innovation and Policy.

Community Involvement

Dr. Cole grew up in a family that believed in giving back to the community and that has been a tremendous part of her life’s work. She is a practicing physician and has served in multiple volunteer roles including Medical Director at Bethesda Clinic, a low-cost care option serving primarily immigrants and the Team Physician for multiple high school teams over the years. She has been a consistent volunteer, along with her family, with numerous non-profit agencies, including her church. She also has a passion about inter-disciplinary medical education, teaching a wide range of learners from residents, medical and pharmacy students, ACP’s, and behavioral health interns, to name a few.

Awards

Dr. Cole has received numerous awards for her commitment to clinical excellence, medical education, community health, and health equity. Among these honors are:

· Care Ring-Maribelle Connerat Award

· Greater Charlotte Healthcare Executives Group Inaugural Equity of Care Physician Award

· Society of Teachers of Family Medicine President’s Award

· University of Chapel Hill Statewide Dept. of Family Medicine David S. Citron Award

· Wallace Thomson Hospital Excellence in Patient Care Award

· National Health Service Corp Scholar

Organizations

In addition to her various professional and philanthropic positions, she has served or is currently affiliated with the following organizations:

· Board of Directors of Public Health Foundation

· Board of Directors American Hospital Association Center for Innovation

· Board of Directors American Hospital Association Health, Research, and Education Trust

· Diversity Leadership Committee, American Heart Association