Bumrungrad's David Boucher to grace the 2019 Healthcare Asia Forum in Bangkok

He will talk about how Southeast Asia’s medical services can turn consumer-centric.

David Boucher, MPH, FACHE, is currently a Chief Business Transformation Officer at Bumrungrad International Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. He has worked in healthcare for over 35 years, 18 of which as an executive of BlueCross & BlueShield of South Carolina. From 2012 to 2017, David served as President & Chief Operating Officer of UCI Medical Affiliates in Columbia, South Carolina, where he managed 55 retail urgent care centres and 24 outpatient physical rehabilitation centres – treating nearly 850,000 patients in 2017.

From 2006 to 2016, David served as President & COO of Companion Global Healthcare, Inc. Prior to 2006, David led several claims, customer service, and nursing utilisation and disease management teams. Between 1985 and 2000, David served in leadership roles at several hospitals owned by Quorum Health Group in New England and the Carolinas.

Healthcare Asia sat down with Boucher to talk about his career and philosophy which is far from being described as contrarian.

What were the previous experiences and positions you've held that contributed to who you are as an expert today?

Beginning in the early 1980s, I started my career with a BlueCross plan in the United States, managing claims and contact centres, then pivoted to a 15-year career in hospital finance and operations – serving as CEO for three hospitals in America. I then returned to the insurance sector to manage website technologies, commercial EDI transactions, contact centres (including utilisation and disease management), and wellness nursing staff who coached commercially insured members.

In 2006, the innovative BlueCross health plan where I worked asked me to launch Companion Global Healthcare, which was the first medical tourism facilitator owned by a major insurer. Companion developed a network of 22 hospitals in 13 countries, and Bumrungrad International Hospital was our flagship.

What are your key business philosophies?

Throughout my career, I have regularly observed business processes, especially as they revolve around commerce, and wondered if there might be better, faster, more convenient, and less expensive ways to get the job done. Sometimes that has been viewed as “disruptive innovation,” though I do not seek different ways of doing things just to be a contrarian, but to improve on or eliminate needless steps.

Other business philosophies include always trying to exceed the customers’ expectations, being an honest business partner, being fair and directly communicating with employees, and being mindful to have a sense of urgency and attention to detail in everyday living and work.

Can you give us a glimpse of what you will share at the Healthcare Asia Forum?

We will review the growing role that consumerism has in health and medical care in Southeast Asia and how this trend might manifest itself as both providers and consumers of care.

The 2019 Healthcare Asia Forum - Roadshow Series will take place on 3, 7 and 17 May in Manila, Jakarta and Bangkok. To learn more about the event, click here. To register, click here. For inquiries, you may contact Andrea at [email protected] or at +65 3158 1386 ext 212.