Crabtree named to list of influential clinical executives
| June 10, 2026 |
| Contact: Paul Heinert Sanford Health Media Relations 605-366-2432 / Paul.Heinert@sanfordhealth.org |
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Joshua Crabtree, M.D., chief physician at Sanford Health, has been named to Modern Healthcare’s list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives for 2026.
This honor recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of healthcare through their leadership and innovative approaches to clinical care. The list is updated annually, highlighting executives from various sectors of the health care industry. This year’s honorees include clinical executives from CVS Health, Optum, Amazon One Medical, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Intermountain Health, Cleveland Clinic and the Joint Commission, among others.
“This recognition is shared with the incredibly talented team of clinicians across Sanford Health who serve our patients and communities with high-quality, compassionate care every day,” said Crabtree. “I am deeply grateful to work alongside people who share a commitment to improving health and expanding access to care, especially in rural communities. My own roots in rural medicine have shaped my belief that exceptional care begins with strong relationships, and I am proud of the work our teams do every day to build trusting relationships and serve patients close to home.”
Dr. Crabtree played a pivotal leadership role in Sanford Health’s successful integration with Marshfield Clinic Health System in 2025, aligning physicians and care teams across the organization. He led a physician-first integration strategy focused on communication, engagement and cultural alignment, helping ensure continuity of care and operational stability. Under his leadership, Marshfield Clinic reduced physician turnover by nearly 50% and decreased reliance on locum tenens staffing, improving care continuity and lowering costs. Recruitment efforts resulted in more than 120 new providers, including 32 primary care physicians – the highest in recent history – expanding access in rural communities.
Across Sanford Health, physician engagement has improved significantly, with physician net promoter scores increasing 11 points year over year. Sanford also earned AMA Joy in Medicine™ Gold-level recognition – placing it among only 20 health systems nationwide – for its leadership in reducing burnout and advancing physician well-being.
Dr. Crabtree has helped operationalize new approaches to workforce flexibility, enabling physicians to practice across regions and care settings, expanding access to specialty services in underserved areas. Examples include cross-market collaboration in vascular surgery, behavioral health and cardiovascular care – bringing services closer to patients.
Dr. Crabtree earned his medical degree from the University of Minnesota Medical School and completed his family medicine residency in Duluth. He has practiced for more than 20 years, including nearly two decades in Luverne, Minnesota, where he provided full-spectrum rural care. Dr. Crabtree continues to practice, bringing frontline clinical insight and a deep personal commitment to rural health to his leadership role, where he oversees clinician professional practice, recruitment, retention, operations and wellness.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization has 55,000 employees and serves more than 2 million patients and nearly 415,000 health plan members across the upper Midwest including South Dakota, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wyoming, Iowa, Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. The integrated nonprofit health system includes a network of 58 hospitals, 289 clinic locations, 145 senior care communities, 4,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and 1,100 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to nearly 80 specialties. More than 400 residents and fellows are trained each year through graduate medical education with Sanford Health fully funding and supporting 29 of the 40 available programs. Sanford Health also includes Lewis Drug, a pharmacy and retail chain with 60 locations in three states and nearly 190 pharmacists. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
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