Prominent physician and healthcare leader joins Salem Health Board of Trustees

McMullan brings valuable health-care experiences, from roles as a physician, administrator of a medical practice and insurance companies, and as a health-care-reform leader. His health-care reform activities include Chair of the State Payment Reform Committee in 2010 and membership in the Governor’s Health Care Transformation Team in 2011. Currently, McMullan is chair of the Oregon Health Leadership Council’s High Value Patient Centered Care Model initiative.

"Bart’s extensive experience in all aspects of health-care delivery will add tremendous value to the Board of Trustees of Salem Health and to the community we serve," said Ken Sherman, Salem Health board chair.

McMullan looks forward to joining the board, stating "I’ve worked closely with Salem Health over the years and they’ve done some innovative things. They are an independent system in a populous area. Salem Health has the opportunity to be a leader in terms of health-care costs and quality."

McMullan served as senior vice president for Health Services and then president of Regence BlueCross BlueShield of Oregon from 1997 until he retired in Sept. 2009. During that time McMullan helped improve relationships with providers. Among his responsibilities were provider networks, sales, public policy and community relations.

McMullan held several positions with PacifiCare of Oregon from 1984 to 1997. He was a leader in the formation of PacifiCare of Oregon, the first expansion of PacifiCare outside of California. He began as Vice President then became General Manager, being the first physician to hold the position of general manager in PacifiCare. His tenure culminated in the role of President/CEO. PacifiCare of Oregon, for most of this period, had the highest per-member per-month margins and lowest health-care costs within the health system.

From 1975 to 1989, McMullan held leadership roles as a member of the medical staff at Portland Adventist Medical Center where he chaired several departments and was president of the medical staff. He also served on the medical center’s Board of Directors from 1983 to 1986.

During that same period of time, McMullan was a practicing internist with the Suburban Medical Clinic, a primary-care medical group with multiple sites in the Portland area. He maintained a busy hospital practice, including consultations, when most general internists’ hospital work was declining. He assumed leadership of the medical group and expanded into managed care and strategic business partnering. McMullan grew the size of the group, eventually merging with another clinic to become Portland’s largest medical group.

In 1988 to 1989 he took on a new role for the clinic as Medical Director/President where he was responsible for overall operations and profitability. From 1985 to 1987 he was one of two managing partners, a newly created executive team, responsible for strategic planning, operations and profitability.

McMullan’s education includes a medical degree from the University of Mississippi School of Medicine in 1967 and a residency in Internal Medicine completed in 1975 at Oregon Health and Sciences University. In 1968 he graduated from the U.S. Navy School of Submarine and Diving Medicine. In 1993 he completed the Intermountain Health Care program in Advanced Clinical Practice Improvement/TQM.

McMullan’s health-care experience began as a Lieutenant Commander and Submarine Medical Officer in support of complex diving operations from 1968 to 1972, including two Polaris missile deterrent patrols. While in the Navy, and during his residency, he was an emergency room physician at the Doctors’ Hospital of San Diego and at the Vancouver Memorial Hospital in Vancouver, Washington.

McMullan is a member of the American College of Physicians and the American College of Physician Executives, and is the current Vice Chair of the CareOregon Board of Directors.

All members of the Salem Health Board of Trustees are volunteers and serve three-year terms. The board provides overall policy setting for the health system, and is ultimately responsible for the quality of care and the financial well-being of the organization.