Ibrahim named to list of 50 influential clinical executives
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June 9, 2025 |
| Contact: Paul Heinert Sanford Health Media Relations 605-366-2432 / Paul.Heinert@sanfordhealth.org
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SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Tommy Ibrahim, M.D., executive vice president and president & CEO of Sanford Health Plan, has been named to Modern Healthcare’s list of the 50 Most Influential Clinical Executives for 2025.
This honor recognizes individuals who are shaping the future of health care through their leadership and innovative approaches to clinical care. Ibrahim was honored for his leadership in guiding Sanford Health Plan through transformational growth, launching innovative rural-focused initiatives and achieving significant improvements in health outcomes.
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, GE Healthcare, Medtronic, Amazon Health Services, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Intermountain Health and the American Hospital Association, among others.
“This recognition is a reflection of the incredible team I’m honored to lead each day,” said Ibrahim. “Their unwavering commitment to partnering with our providers to deliver personalized care and improve health outcomes is what sets our nonprofit integrated health plan apart. In a time of rapid disruption, we remain optimistic about the future – and energized by the opportunity to leverage technology, embrace innovation and reimagine care to better serve our communities.”
Ibrahim has led Sanford Health Plan through significant growth since he joined Sanford Health in early 2024. Sanford Health’s merger with Marshfield Clinic Health System united Sanford Health Plan and Security Health Plan under a shared operations and governance structure, bringing value to 425,000 members.
In late 2024, Sanford Health Plan announced a JV partnership with Bryan Health to develop an innovative Medicare Advantage product that will keep patients at the center and expand options for seniors in rural Nebraska.
Sanford Health Plan has earned a 4.5-star CMS rating for two consecutive years for its Medicare Advantage plan. Designed in collaboration with health system colleagues, the organization’s MA plan minimizes administrative barriers, ensuring timely and reliable access to care. Its MA plan has a denial rate less than half the national average, and a 24-hour turnaround on prior authorizations.
Under Ibrahim’s leadership, Sanford Health Plan has harnessed population health initiatives to drive better outcomes and reduce costs. Health guides proactively support rising-risk patients with resources, prescription assistance and care coordination. Over the past six months, health guide interventions have driven reductions in ER visits and hospital admissions, while significantly improving key health measures like blood pressure, depression screening and A1C control.
A board-certified hospitalist, Ibrahim received his Doctor of Medicine degree from St. Christopher’s IMD College of Medicine and completed his internal medicine residency at Greater Baltimore Medical Center, an academic affiliate of Johns Hopkins and is licensed in multiple states. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Columbia University, a Master of Healthcare Administration degree from Seton Hall University and is a Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives and a Fellow in Hospital Medicine.
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 53,000 employees and serves over 2 million patients and nearly 425,000 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 56 hospitals, 288 clinic locations, 147 senior care communities, 4,000 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 1,500 active clinical trials and studies. The organization’s transformational virtual care initiative brings patients closer to care with access to 78 specialties. 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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