Fusing Purpose and Profitability
We launch, build, and scale exceptional companies that eradicate barriers to health.
Launch
Assist companies with identifying market needs, fine tuning market response, connecting to market leaders, and accelerating go-to-market products.
Build
Assist companies with strategic focus and execution by identifying and connecting to value-add partners and customers.
Scale
Assist companies with channel building, product expansion, and large scale strategic partnerships.
About Akram
I am the strategist, operator, and founder. I am also the CEO and managing partner of Akram Boutros Companies.
I focus on working with founders and investors who are building companies with an authentic purpose of removing obstacles to the achievement of good health, not merely access.
BIOGRAPHY
One of the top operating executives in the healthcare sector, Akram has spent his career building high performing, mission-driven organizations that help people grow and perform at their best. He is an expert in leading strategic inflection points; reorientations and recreations; and building a cultures that align and amplify frontline efficacy.
In 2022, while hospitals are running 15-25% contract staff, he shepherded MetroHeath to 3% contract staffing, resulting in achieving operating income, while the industry suffers massive losses.
One of his guiding principles is that leading with love creates enthusiastic, dynamic and enduring cultures.
Akram was most recently the chief executive officer of The MetroHealth System, one of the most admired safety net health systems in the nation. Akram helped 3X the number of patients served, 2X revenues, and 20X the operating income. Since his tenure, MetroHealth has been recognized as more socially responsible than 99.5% of hospitals in the nation and the top performing safety net Accountable Care Organization in the country.
Akram spent his early career in academic medicine focused on graduate education and using analytics to solve operational inefficiencies. He went on to lead community and specialty hospitals, where he focused on physician integration, centers of excellence creations, and business line diversification. In 2008, he shifted his attention to understanding the clinical an operational transformations necessary to succeed in full-risk reimbursement models.
Most recently, he expanded his attention to the creation of novel care delivery companies powered by technology. He founded multiple organizations, including Doc2Go, CLE Care, Select Assurance, Spry, Spry Senior, Lobesity, Lumina, and Ovatient.
He is civically involved in the areas of neighborhood revitalization, infant mortality, and is the driving force behind developing the National Center for the Reduction of Gun Violence.
He has received numerous recognitions, including 2 honorary doctorates, Modern Healthcare's most influential clinical leaders, humanitarian and innovator awards, and has been knighted by the Vatican and House of Bourbon.
Akram has an MD from SUNY Downstate and completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.
He lives in Cleveland with his wife Suzanne, a seasoned insurance executive.
AWARDS & HONORS
Arnold R. Pinkney Award for Civic Leadership
Values-in-Action, 2022
50 Most Influential Health Care Executives
Modern Healthcare, 2021
Humanitarian Award
The Diversity Center of Northeast Ohio, 2019
George V. Voinovich Municipal Service Award
Cuyahoga County Mayors & City Managers, 2018
Richard H. Adler Community Leadership Award
American Jewish Committee Cleveland, 2018
Inaugural Stokes Community Leadership Award
Cuyahoga Community College, 2017
Entrepreneur of the Year, Community Impact in NE Ohio
EY, 2015
Nominee for 100 Most Influential People in Healthcare
Modern Healthcare, 2015-2019
Knight of Merit
Royal House of Bourbon and the Vatican, 2008
OPERATING ACHIEVEMENTS
Led Cleveland’s safety-net hospital and its 8,000 employees through the worst pandemic in a century, never wavering from its mission, turning away no one, reaching out to homeless shelters and congregate living homes, offering COVID tests and vaccines in churches, schools and parking garages, and pivoting swiftly to an extensive telehealth system; despite pressures from the pandemic, MetroHealth remained on solid financial footing, preserving jobs and even giving raises, continuing construction on a new hospital on its main campus, and beginning work on a major behavioral health expansion
Revived underperforming $500+ million urban hospital system using clinical transformation; streamlined operating units with market-focused strategy; realized $24.3 million of annualized improvements in four months; restored public, employee and physician trust; gained confidence of the state Departments of Health and Medicaid
Spearheaded evaluation of more than 100 innovative clinical management programs for the care of complex chronic disease patients for the California Health Care Foundation; served as expert for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services on the Identifying and Stratifying Patients with Complex or Multiple Chronic Conditions (MCC) project
Redesigned physician integration strategy for 16-hospital health system and its 2,000+ employed physician network; resulted in significant improvements in market approach, composition and incentive models
Revitalized heart hospital with eroding volume and profits; increased operating revenues from $356 to $435 million; reduced cost-per-discharge by 5.1%; improved operating margin from 5.7% to 12.9% and EBIDA from 12.3% to 19.6% in two years
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS
What’s Love Got to Do with it?
TedX | 2016
What Hospitals are Getting Wrong and How We Can Fix it
The City Club of Cleveland | 2019
Trust and Innovations
Pitch NEON | 2018
It’s Time to Talk Forums on Race
YWCA | 2017
At the Heart of Cleveland’s Westside
The City Club of Cleveland | 2016
From Sick-Care to Healthcare
The City Club of Cleveland | 2013
Meet the Team
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President & Chief Operating Officer
After leading and managing insurance and retail enterprises for more than 35 years, Suzanne retired from her role as president of the Suzanne Aral-Boutros Agency, Inc. in Glen Cove, NY in the fall of 2021. As the longest tenured female State Farm Insurance agent in Metropolitan New York at the time, she was a pioneer who proudly paved the way for many young women who now enjoy successful careers in the industry.
As a trailblazer in the field, Suzanne was celebrated for her many achievements as an agent including being a "Select Agent" as well as a member of the Legion of Honor. She is most proud however, of her reputation as a straight shooter who was fearless in her pursuit of holding leadership to account.
As one who has always embraced a challenge, Suzanne has come out of retirement and opened a new chapter in her storied career. As of January 1, 2023, she joined The Akram Boutros Companies as President and COO. Suzanne looks forward to bringing her operations experience and significant people development skills to this Health Care start-up. With her disciplined approach to people development and zeroing in on what is important to the individual, she provides a non-threatening and nurturing environment for growth which empowers people to confidently move toward their goals. Her simple formula for building confidence she says, "show others how to believe in themselves by believing in them first." Suzanne looks forward to introducing her brand of excellence to a new industry.
Suzanne continues her volunteer work in her adopted hometown of Cleveland, Ohio. As a board member of College Now Greater Cleveland, she continues to assist in the development of young people. She is the two-time Co-Chair of the "Bags & Bourbon" fundraiser, which benefits College Now’s mentorship program. Most recently, and with an eye toward helping to make her new hometown a more vibrant place to live and work, Suzanne joined the board of LAND Studio.
Suzanne and her husband of 36 years, Akram Boutros reside in Cleveland, OH
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Marketing Manager & Executive Assistant
Tess is an experienced assistant and marketing manager who has supported organization’s top leaders across many different industries.
Starting her career in luxury automotive, Tess began working at one of the regions premier auto groups. She helped implement a successful Business Development Center, acting as an internet clients first point of contact. Shortly after that Tess transitioned to support the Vice President of Operations in addition to managing all marketing and events for six different luxury automotive brands.
Tess then went on to become the Director of Special Projects for a United States senatorial candidate and most recently joins us from the Cleveland Cavaliers where she supported five of their top executives.
Tess is excited to bring her marketing and administrative talents to the Akram Boutros Companies as her first foray into the healthcare space.
She currently resides in Naples, FL.
“We cannot lift some members of the community and ignore others. We cannot leave behind our brothers and sisters, our mothers and fathers, our neighbors and friends. We cannot–ever– slip from the path of faith and hope and love toward our fellow man.”
— Akram Boutros