About TMC > Executive Biographies > John W. Bluford

John W. Bluford, MBA, FACHE

Truman Medical Centers
President/CEO

John W. Bluford has served as Truman Medical Centers' (TMC) President/CEO for the past twelve years. Bluford's tenure at TMC is part of a distinguished career in hospital and health system administration that has spanned more than three decades. Bluford is a nationally known healthcare innovator who has been recognized by Modern Healthcare as one of the Most Influential People in Healthcare.

In 2011, the American Hospital Association Board of Trustees elected Bluford as Chairman of the Board following several years of service on various committees with the association. Bluford is also a Past Chair of the National Association of Public Hospitals, Past Chairman of the Missouri Hospital Association, and Past Chair of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

Among the accomplishments Bluford is most proud of in his career, is helping to change the culture of the organizations he has led to become more customer service and patient safety-oriented and more innovative. Above all, Bluford has succeeded at transforming the hospitals he has led into hospitals of first choice for patients, employees and community partnerships. In 2005, TMC was honored by University Health System Consortium as one of the Top Five Academic Medical Centers in the country.

Bluford's financial accomplishments at TMC include increasing total net revenue by 144% from $197 million over the course of eleven years (1999-2010) and a quadrupling of commercial insurance revenue. TMC has invested over a quarter billion in capital improvements and technology during his tenure. Revenue enhancements have occurred despite TMC's safety-net mission of caring for the disproportionate share of the uncompensated care burden of its community. Additionally, Bluford is proud to have developed the TMC Corporate Academy, the Center for the Healing Arts Gallery and an employee Culture of Health and Wellness.

Bluford began his career in 1972 as the evening administrator at Cook County Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. Prior to coming to TMC, he served for 21 years in various leadership capacities at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota, including the last six as its CEO.

His awards and achievements are numerous and include Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management-Laura Jackson Award ( 2011), Kansas City's Nonprofit Professional of the Year Award (2011), Richland (South Carolina School District) One Hall of Fame (2010), Missouri Hospital Association's Distinguished Service Award (2009), Modern Healthcare 100 Most Influential (2007), NCCJ Harmony Distinguished Citizen Award (2006), Urban League Difference Maker Award (2006),NAACP Special Achievement Award (2004),and Missouri Hospital Association Visionary Leadership Award (2003). 

John has presented nationally and internationally on the subjects of Managed Care and Change Management in Healthcare Organizations.  International presentations include "The Changing USA Health Care Marketplace," Alyn Orthopedic Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel; "Managed Care and the Future," Siemens Incorporated, Erlangen, Germany; "Responsible Privatization," Conference for Independent States, St. Petersburg, Russia. He is a frequent contributor to Modern Healthcare, Healthcare Leaders, and the American Hospital Association News Publication.