THE
JOHN D. THOMPSON DISTINGUISHED VISITING FELLOW AWARD
The faculty, students, and alumnae of the Health Management Program at the Yale School of Public Health are proud to celebrate and honor the memory of Professor John D. Thompson with the John D. Thompson Distinguished Visiting Fellow Award. This award pays tribute to Professor Thompson’s contributions as an educator, researcher, and mentor in health administration, including his pioneering work in healthcare finance and hospital quality of care.
This year, we are proud to present this award to Farzad Mostashari.
Farzad Mostashari, MD, is the co-founder and CEO of Aledade, a physician‑led, national leader in value‑based care whose mission is to deliver better health, better care and lower costs, creating a health care system that is good for patients, good for practices and good for society.
Mostashari’s long-term vision for Aledade, a public benefit corporation, is rooted in the belief that primary care doctors are best positioned to lead health care reform across the United States and earn shared savings for proactively managing the quality and total cost of patient care. This vision was outlined in a JAMA article co-authored by Mostashari in 2014, the year he co-founded Aledade.
Under Mostashari’s leadership, Aledade helps more than 3,000 primary care organizations in 46 states and the District of Columbia improve patient outcomes and achieve financial success by keeping people healthy.
Mostashari's extensive health care policy background is highlighted by his significant roles before founding Aledade, where he contributed to national health information technology (IT) and payment reform efforts. Previously, Mostashari served as the National Coordinator for Health IT at the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). During his tenure, he oversaw the implementation of the HITECH Act and the "Meaningful Use" incentive program, managing over $13 billion in incentive payments and leading a dramatic increase in the adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) nationwide. He also championed consumer eHealth and established the “Blue Button” initiative to empower patients with access to their own health data. Mostashari also has served as a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution’s Engelberg Center for Health Care Reform, where he advised on payment reform and delivery system transformation.
Before joining the federal government, Mostashari served as assistant commissioner at the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. There, he designed and led the Primary Care Information Project, which equipped 1,500 physicians in under-resourced communities with EHRs and focused on using data for public health action. He also served as an epidemic intelligence service officer at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), where he was a lead investigator in the West Nile virus outbreak and anthrax attacks.
Mostashari currently serves as the chair of the board of directors for Resolve to Save Lives, a global health organization focused on accelerating action against the world's deadliest health threats. Mostashari frequently speaks on health policy and technology adoption to improve public health. He recently co-authored an article in NEJM Catalyst on how to significantly expand value-based care within Medicare. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry from Harvard University, a Master of Science in Population Sciences from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a Doctor of Medicine from the Yale School of Medicine.

Farzad Mostashari, MD, ScM
CEO and Co-Founder, Aledade

John D. Thompson (1917-1992) was a Professor at Yale’s Schools of Nursing, Medicine, and Public Health, and is perhaps best known for his role in the development of Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs) for hospital reimbursement. A true innovator, Professor Thompson was an early advocate for the application of quantitative data in health policy formulation. Today’s healthcare management students and leaders continue to be inspired by his compassion for patients, dedication to research, and belief in the power of data. The John Devereaux Thompson Academic Development Fund was created in his honor.
