AHA honors health system leaders with Distinguished Service Award
During the 2025 AHA Annual Membership Meeting in Washington, D.C., the AHA will present Melinda Estes, M.D., former president and CEO of Saint Luke's Health System, and Rod Hochman, M.D., former president and CEO of Providence Health and Services, with its highest honor — the Distinguished Service Award — for their longtime service to the AHA and the field.
In addition to Saint Luke’s, where she became president in 2011, Estes also served as president and CEO of the University of Vermont Medical Center and held leadership roles at the Cleveland Clinic, which included two years as CEO of Cleveland Clinic Florida. Estes also served as AHA Board Chair in 2020. In addition, she served as chair of the AHA Executive Committee, the Committee on Nominations, the Task Force on COVID-19 Pathways to Recovery, the AHA Physician Alliance Steering Committee, and the Center for Health Innovation Leadership Council, among other committees and groups.
“A physician leader with an unmatched and unshakable commitment to kindness and caring, Mindy has served her communities with dedication and led the health care field as AHA chair through incredibly challenging times, including the unprecedented COVID pandemic,” said AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack. “Mindy’s efforts to improve patient care and access have had a significant impact at the national, state and local levels, and leave a lasting legacy that will be felt for years to come.”
Hochman worked 45 years in health care, including 17 with Providence. While there, he helped expand access to care, create innovations in care delivery and patient experience, and increase care quality. He served as AHA board chair in 2021. Hochman also chaired the AHA Executive Committee, the Committee on Nominations, the Center for Health Innovation Leadership Council and Regional Policy Board 9. He also has served on the Healthcare Advisory Council, the Health Systems Committee, the Coalition to Strengthen America’s Healthcare Board and other committees and task forces.
“A servant leader who always puts patients and caregivers first, Rod has dedicated his life and career to improving access to care for the most vulnerable, and making health care better for all,” said Pollack. “In addition to helping lead our field as AHA Chair through the early days of the COVID pandemic, Rod has a unique ability to look into the future and stay ahead of the curve. To state it simply, Rod’s work has improved the lives of millions of Americans and has set a new standard for the hospital field.”