Network Members
Schumarry H. Chao, MD, MBA
Founder, PMAC
Dr. Schumarry H. Chao, is the Founder of the Peer-to-Peer Market Advisory Council (PMAC). Dr. Chao’s successful leadership, strategic, and operational experience on “all sides of the healthcare industry”—insurer, delivery system management, employer, pharmaceutical, and healthcare information technology – enable her to offer uniquely broad and deep perspective, as well as a number of key contacts across the industry.
In addition to founding and leading PMAC, Dr. Chao is the President of SHC & Associates consulting firm and is regarded as a top market industry expert in the development of a number of strategic and marketing plans for major pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical device companies. In pursuing her continuing interests in outcome research and appropriate access for optimal value in health care, she serves on the Board of Trustees of the Foundation, Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy, the Editorial Board of American Journal of Medical Quality, Board of China Center for Health Economics and co-chairs the steering committee for Benefit Design Institute.
Dr. Chao’s Experience:
- PBM: Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President, Strategic Development for MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc. (1996 to 2003)
- Responsible for all clinical product development and pharmacy benefits management including all P & T formulary development, pharmaceutical contracting, outcome research and quality compliance programs.
- Spearheaded the development of medical informatics initiatives and lead senior management in the development of strategic and marketing plans.
- Health Plan: Vice President and Corporate Medical Director for Aetna Life and Casualty Company
- Represented company in numerous seminars, media events, and political meetings as Aetna’s official national spokesperson on healthcare reform and policies.
- Employer/Payer: Developed and implemented innovative health benefit strategies for the University of Southern California and as Corporate Medical Director for Security Pacific Bank.
- At USC, she developed and implemented USC Network Plan -- a direct contract managed care plan in 1988. The Plan continues to be successful in both cost containment and employee satisfaction.
- At Security Pacific, she developed and successfully implemented the first risk-based Point of Service plan with aligned incentives for Bank supervisors, employees, health plans, and physicians for reduced medical costs, preventive care, and early “return to work”.
- Delivery: Managed a pre-paid medical group, had responsibility for Emergency Trauma System in Los Angeles County, and served as Chief Medical Officer for the Los Angeles Summer Olympics in 1984.
- Consulting: Led a number of consulting projects in the health care industry with clients that include CALPERs, State of Washington Workers’ Compensation, Connecticare HMO, Healthcare Partners Medical Group, China Ministry of Health, as well as a number of Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology companies.
Dr. Chao received her BS and MBA from the University of Southern California and her MD from the University of California Medical School, San Francisco. She is board certified in Emergency Medicine. Her academic appointments include Clinical Professor of Emergency Medicine and Family Medicine as well as Adjunct Professor of Pharmaco-economics at University of Southern California. She also serves on the Board of Trustees, University of Sciences, Philadelphia.
