NEW YORK — Deloitte announced Thursday the appointment of Dr. Jay Bhatt, as executive director of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions and the Deloitte Health Equity Institute. In this role, Dr. Bhatt will direct the research, insights and eminence agenda across the life sciences and health care industry while driving high impact research and collaborations to advance health equity.

“It’s an honor to welcome an incredible physician executive and passionate health equity advocate to our team to direct research and advance our collective impact,” said Asif Dhar, M.D., vice chair and U.S. life sciences and health care industry leader, Deloitte LLP. “In addition to being an amazing strategic thinker, innovator and researcher with deep health experience, I admire Jay’s desire to continue practicing medicine and believe his real-world clinical experiences will help inform both the work of the Center and the Health Equity Institute.”

Bhatt has dedicated his life’s work to serving underserved communities and championing health equity across the health care industry. His early work in health care involved practicing primary care at Erie Family Health Center in Chicago, and he continues to see patients at community health centers in Chicago and Cook County, Illinois.

Prior to joining Deloitte, Bhatt was senior vice president and chief medical officer at the American Hospital Association. While there, in addition to his enterprise role, he served as president of the Health Research and Educational Trust and helped lead the Institute for Diversity and Health Equity. He was previously on faculty at Northwestern Medicine, served as chief health officer of the Illinois Health and Hospital Association, and was managing deputy commissioner and chief innovation officer for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Bhatt has published extensively and is a prominent thought leader around the issues of health equity, health care transformation, public health, and innovation. He is also a Presidential Leadership Scholar, an Aspen Institute Health Innovator Fellow, and serves on the board of directors for UnidosUS.

“Growing up, I had a front-row seat to the challenges that many people face in disadvantaged communities, and these early life experiences convinced me not just to become a doctor, but to become someone who could meet the challenge of treating diverse populations, serving underserved neighborhoods, and helping communities and organizations change their future,” said Bhatt. “I am excited to join an organization with a strong legacy of progress, execution and impact, and one with a mission that reflects my values and aspirations to transform the health of our communities and do it at scale.”