New Chief Health Officer for the California Health Care Safety Net Institute (SNI)

I’m thrilled to announce that SNI will welcome Dr. Ashrith Amarnath as our new Chief Health Officer next month. 

Dr. Amarnath comes to us from Covered California, where he served as Senior Medical Director. Prior to that, he was Patient Safety Officer at Sutter Valley Medical Foundation and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). He is an acute care and trauma surgeon. 

A true quality improvement expert, Dr. Amarnath has helped shape some of the State’s largest health care transformation efforts. At Covered California, he led its health informatics work, including developing health equity measures. And at DHCS, he directed the PRIME program and developed its quality strategy. Through his collaborative nature and the results he has delivered in these high-profile roles, he has won the trust of many working within the State, health systems, and plans alike.  

On day one, Dr. Amarnath will bring these relationships, his comprehensive perspective, and exceptional quality improvement and clinical expertise to bear. We feel fortunate to have found someone with this unique mix of attributes and experience.  

At SNI, he will inform complex policy and programmatic issues and help systems measure and improve performance to succeed in statewide programs, from the Quality Incentive Pool (QIP) to CalAIM. He will also lead and influence SNI’s member support and learning programs. And we are excited for him to actively represent the unique voice of public health care systems on committees and advisory groups, ensuring that statewide initiatives advance quality and equity and are informed by on-the-ground experiences. 

Dr. Amarnath believes in our mission deeply, shares our values, and is committed to the success of public health care systems, so that all Californians receive the highest level of care. I am so pleased to welcome him to our team and look forward to our work together.  

Giovanna Giuliani
Executive Director,
California Health Care Safety Net Institute