Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Hawaiʻi Market welcomes new president

Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi announced the selection of its new president of Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals Hawaiʻi, Edmund “Ed” Chan. He joins the Hawaiʻi market after serving as the senior vice president and area manager for the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals East Bay area, one of the largest Kaiser Permanente service areas in Northern California.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ed to our Hawaiʻi operations. His proven abilities, and passion for bringing high-quality, value-based care and exceptional experiences for our members, patients and communities is fully aligned with the dedication of our Hawaiʻi teams,” said Michelle Gaskill-Hames, BSN, MHA, Kaiser Foundation Health Plan and Hospitals regional president, Southern California and Hawaiʻi. “One of Greg Christian’s legacies is his collaborative leadership style, and that is also a quality that Ed has demonstrated over the last decade with his Permanente physician partners and area teams. I am confident Ed will bring that level of excellence to our high-performing care teams in Hawaiʻi.”

Chan’s roots in Hawaiʻi began early in his career. In 2000, after completing his Registered Dietitian training in Boston, he accepted a position as a clinical dietitian for Hale Makua Health Services in Kahului, Maui. Chan also took on roles at the Community Clinic of Maui and served as a consultant dietitian to Maui Youth & Family Services.

“My wife, Mina, and I are very excited to return to Hawaiʻi. It was here that we met, and we are blessed to have many family members and friends in this wonderful community. Knowing the importance for the people of Hawaiʻi to have access to high-quality, safe, and affordable health care motivates me to be here, and to work hard every day to advance the mission of Kaiser Permanente in Hawaiʻi,” said Chan.

In 2003, Chan joined ARAMARK Corporation, a provider of health care ancillary services to hospitals and health systems across the US, as Food and Nutrition director and later as general manager of Support Services at Wahiawa General Hospital on Oʻahu. Chan’s passion for hospital operations quickly became evident as he worked with hospital leaders to strengthen the hospital’s impact and ability to care for the surrounding community. 

After serving in Hawaiʻi, he also had the opportunity to work with teams throughout the country at prestigious academic medical centers such as UC San Diego Health, Vanderbilt University Health System, and the Duke University Health System.

Joining Kaiser Permanente in 2014, Chan brings more than a decade of successful leadership experience gained in Northern California, serving in several leadership roles. Most recently, he and his teams transformed the operations of the East Bay area to become one of the health care organization’s highest-performing service areas.

Chan succeeds Greg Christian, who has been serving as the Hawaiʻi Market president since 2020 and is retiring next month. Christian is leaving after a highly respected 40-year career in health care, including 28 years leading various service areas of Kaiser Permanente. For the past three years, Christian has been working in partnership with Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group to support, inspire, and leverage the talents and expertise of more than 4,300 employees and 700 Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group physicians, providers, and staff to meet the health needs of Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi’s 270,000 members. 

“Greg’s leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic and the Lahaina wildfires had a powerful impact on health care in Hawaiʻi and the recovery effort on Maui,” said John Yang, MD, president and medical director, Hawaiʻi Permanente Medical Group. “I’m looking forward to working with Ed to ensure our Kaiser Permanente Hawaiʻi members continue to receive the highest-quality care and service. Having already worked as a clinician in Hawaiʻi, including on Oʻahu and Maui, Ed understands and appreciates the unique challenges that come with delivering exceptional health care in an island state.”

Chan will officially start this new role on April 28, and Christian will retire on May 1.