Dr. Poonam L. Alaigh

Biography

Dr. Poonam Alaigh is the Acting Under Secretary for Health. As the Acting Under Secretary for Health, Dr. Alaigh directs a health care system with an annual budget of approximately $68 billion, overseeing the delivery of care to more than 9 million enrolled Veterans. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,245 health care facilities, including 170 VA Medical Centers and 1,065 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics. Dr. Alaigh previously served as the Senior Advisor to the Under Secretary for Health (USH) and the executive sponsor of the MyVA access initiative. Dr. Alaigh has a multifaceted background in health care administration and delivery, including clinical practice, hospital practice, hospital administration, managed care, pharmaceutical medicine, and healthcare policy. Her previous roles include co-founder of one of the largest Accountable Care Organization (ACOs) in the country, the Atlantic Accountable Care Organization in New Jersey. She was also the CEO and President of Alaigh Care Associates LLC Prior to that she was the Executive Medical Director at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey where she was responsible for operations in all the major clinical areas to ensure the delivery of quality, cost effective healthcare for its members. Dr. Alaigh has served as National Medical Director for GlaxoSmithKline . She is a board certified internist with a specialty in vascular diseases having completed her residency in internal medicine along with a Masters in Health Care Policy and Management at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY. She is a certified black belt in six-sigma business management strategy . 

Research Interest

clinical practice, hospital practice, hospital administration, managed care, pharmaceutical medicine and healthcare policy