Barbara B. Gray, M.B.A., R.N.
Vice President, Accountable Care Collaborative

As vice president of Premier’s Accountable Care Collaborative, Barbara Gray is responsible for developing and managing a functioning collaborative project that helps healthcare organizations across the country create accountable care organizations (ACOs). ACOs are groups of providers held responsible for the quality and cost of the health of a defined population. With more than 20 years of experience in healthcare and a background in nursing and business, Gray is working to decrease costs and increase quality of care in the healthcare industry.

Prior to joining Premier, Gray served as vice president and market leader for Healthways, Inc., a leading provider of well-being services to health plans, employers and hospitals. She held profit and loss responsibilities for the CIGNA Business Unit, Hospital Unit, and Marketing.

Gray has also led the managed care service line for Ernst & Young’s Business Advisory Services practice. She spent more than 10 years in consulting at Ernst & Young and Watson Wyatt Worldwide. She has experience in consulting to providers, payers and large employers on various aspects of managed care, including disease management, wellness, medical management, risk contracting, strategy, operations and benefits design.

Before becoming a consultant, Gray served as vice president of operations for ASG Management Company, where she was responsible for high-volume, full-service primary care clinics and emergency departments contracted by the Department of Defense. A registered nurse, Gray’s clinical experience includes clinical and management positions in hospital and ambulatory care settings.

Gray holds a M.B.A. in finance from George Mason University and a B.S. in nursing from California State University, Chico. She serves on several boards including CredenceHealth , a health care start-up IT company, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation of Middle Tennessee and Healthways Foundation.