Past CEO
Swedish Health Services
R. Guy Hudson MD recently served as President & CEO of Swedish Health Services, one of Washington State's largest not-for-profit health care systems.
Under Dr. Hudson’s leadership, the organization integrated patient care operations across the Puget Sound region, unified Providence and Swedish under a shared brand, and brought together Providence’s Puget Sound and Alaska operations into a new North Division. Quality scores have improved at all Swedish hospitals during his tenure and philanthropic support for Swedish increased 125%
He also advanced a major redevelopment project at Swedish’s flagship First Hill campus to transform the hospital to better serve the needs of patients and the community into the future. He led investments in technology, including telehealth and virtual health programs, and expansion of the primary care and ambulatory care network to deliver care that is more accessible and closer to home.
During the pandemic, he led the organization's COVID-19 response in Western Washington, which included mobilizing one of the nation’s first mass vaccination sites and partnering with the City of Seattle to lead the largest civilian vaccination site in the country. As a champion of behavioral health and self-care, Dr. Hudson increased resources to support caregiver health during the pandemic, which continues today. Building on learnings from the COVID-19 response, Swedish created the Staffing, Transfer, and Operations Center, a groundbreaking application of GE Tiles technology to provide a real-time view of every patient across the expansive Puget Sound region.
Dr. Hudson oversaw several pioneering advancements in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion. Under his leadership, Swedish stood up the Office of Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, which became a model for the entire Providence system and many other health care organizations. Swedish also launched a partnership with Meharry Medical College to train Black physicians. Workforce diversity increased 10 percent in the last five years of Dr. Hudson’s tenure as CEO.
Dr. Hudson also increased diversity among his executive leadership team and the Swedish Board of Trustees. Diversity within his leadership team increased 30 percent and diversity within the Board increased 20 percent – an achievement that has been commended by the American Hospital Association. Dr. Hudson has also been a visible and strong advocate at the local, state and national levels for the most vulnerable patient populations, and recently chaired the Washington State Hospital Association’s board of directors.
A trained pediatric urologic surgeon, his clinical leadership roles included the Chief of Urology, Chief Medical Officer for Swedish Medical Group, Chief of Staff for Swedish Issaquah, Executive Medical Director of Pediatrics and Pediatric Specialties, and Western Washington Chief Executive of Physician Services.
Dr. Hudson has been named a “Top Doctor” by Seattle Met and Portland Monthly on several occasions and received the Patient’s Choice Award Compassionate Doctor honor for several years. An active community member, he recently served as an executive member of Greater Seattle Partners and as a member of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce’s Community Development Roundtable,
During his active clinical career, he participated in several international care groups, traveling abroad to provide surgical care in countries including Guatemala and Uganda.
Dr. Hudson trained at Indiana University School of Medicine. He completed his residency at Oregon Health and Science University and his pediatric urologic surgery fellowship at the University of California, San Diego. He earned an MBA at the University of Washington. He is currently a physician and surgeon at St. Luke's Medical Center in Boise Idaho.
Disclosure information not submitted.