Vindell Washington, MD Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana

Dr. Vindell Washington joined Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana in 2017 as chief medical officer, where he serves as clinical thought leader and spokesperson and is responsible for developing and executing a strategy that both improves the quality of health care delivered to the company’s members and improves cost and efficiency.
As CMO, he is directly responsible for managing an integrated clinical operation that includes utilization management, case management, population health management, quality management and pharmacy management. He is also responsible for maintaining national accreditation for the organization.
Previously, Dr. Washington led clinical teams and health IT initiatives as national coordinator for healthcare information technology in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Prior to that, Washington was at the Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System in Baton Rouge for more than seven years, leaving as president of the medical group, which includes more than 500 medical providers and 1,400 employees. While at the health system, he also served as vice president of performance excellence and technology and chief medical information officer.
Washington is a board-certified emergency medicine physician and a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Before coming to Baton Rouge, he served as chief executive officer of Piedmont Emergency Medicine Associates, a large private group in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He received his undergraduate degree from Pennsylvania State University and his medical degree from the University of Virginia. He also received a Master of Science degree in healthcare management from the Harvard University School of Public Health.
Washington and his wife, Kimberly, live in Baton Rouge and have four daughters, two of whom work in medicine.