David J. Ballard

David J. Ballard, M.D., F.A.C.P., M.S.P.H., Ph.D., M.B.A., serves as Chief Clinical Officer, supporting the healthcare delivery vertical of the firm’s Healthcare Practice.

As a global healthcare executive, Dr. Ballard brings proven expertise in improving healthcare value and organizational financial performance, while providing international thought leadership. Recognized by Becker’s four consecutive years as one of the top 50 experts leading the field of patient safety, he is the past president of the International Society for Quality in Healthcare, and received the distinguished alumnus awards from the University of North Carolina Schools of Medicine and Public Health in 2008 and 2019. Widely recognized as a global scholar in healthcare quality and value, his two books on healthcare quality leadership received Shingo awards for their contributions to operational excellence.

Dr. Ballard previously served as Chief Quality Officer of Baylor Scott & White Health, where the organization received both the Leapfrog Patient-Centered Care Award and the National Quality Forum Health Care Award under his leadership. Additionally, he has held leadership roles at Emory University, University of Virginia, and the Mayo Clinic. He has completed five degrees with honors in economics, public health, epidemiology, medicine, and business at the University of North Carolina, where he was a John Motley Morehead Scholar. He is a board-certified internist, completing his residency training in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic.

Dr. Ballard continues to serve as Healthcare Policy Section Editor for the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and Associate Editor for the Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes. Additionally, he serves on the boards of several global health care companies, including as a director and audit committee member for Mentice (MNTC.ST), the world’s leading endovascular simulation performance solutions company. Dr. Ballard holds several leadership roles at the University of North Carolina, where he is Adjunct Professor of health policy and management, a member of the UNC Chancellor’s Global Leadership Council, and a member of the UNC Center for the Business of Health Leadership Advisory Board.