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The Leapfrog Group Honors HHC CEO Jeffrey A. Flaks

December 15, 2025

Costs of Care and The Leapfrog Group announced that Jeffrey A. Flaks, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hartford HealthCare, has been awarded the Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO. The prestigious award recognizes courageous and ethical leadership in addressing the twin challenges of quality and affordability in healthcare.

The award was presented at The Leapfrog Group’s Annual Meeting, honoring Mr. Flaks for his transformative leadership and commitment to creating a health system that delivers exceptional outcomes while improving access and affordability for all. The award was created by Costs of Care, a leading nonprofit dedicated to cultivating change agents who will lead the creation of a more affordable and equitable health system, in conjunction with The Leapfrog Group, the nation’s leading advocate for patient safety and transparency. The award recognizes a hospital and/or health system CEO who has demonstrated courageous and ethical leadership addressing the twin issues of affordability and quality of health care in their community.

“We hope to inspire further leadership in health care, like that shown by Jeffrey Flaks, that quality and affordability are not competing priorities,” said Chris Moriates, MD, Executive Director of Costs of Care. “CEOs play an important role in clearly communicating, in both words AND actions, that patient affordability is a critical goal to improve care.”

“In its seven-hospital system, six earned an “A” and one earned a “B” on the Hospital Safety Grade, and two hospitals received Leapfrog’s elite Top Hospital Award. Among its surgery centers, five earned our prestigious 2025 Top ASC Award. This is an outstanding testament to the dedication of Hartford HealthCare’s staff, clinicians, board, and volunteers — and to the extraordinary leadership of Jeff Flaks,” said Leah Binder, President and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “Hartford HealthCare’s achievements demonstrate how exceptional leadership can transform care and save lives.”

A Vision for Quality and Affordability

Under Mr. Flaks’ leadership, Hartford HealthCare has become a nationally recognized model for excellence and equity, serving more than 28,000 people every day. The system’s strategic framework, known internally as A2E2 — Access, Affordability, Health Equity, and Excellence — guides every initiative.

Quality Achievements:

  • Hartford HealthCare earned the American Hospital Association’s Quest for Quality Prize in 2025 — the only health system in the nation to receive this top honor.
  • Hospital-acquired infections reduced by 76% over the past decade, and serious safety events decreased by 67% since 2019.

Affordability Initiatives:

  • Neighborhood Health brings care directly to underserved communities, with more than 12,000 patient visits since 2021.
  • Medical Mission Days provide free care and resources to thousands of Connecticut residents.
  • More than 43% of surgeries now occur in high-quality, lower-cost ambulatory settings, reducing costs by an average of 26%.
  • Hartford HealthCare ranks in the top 20% nationally for price transparency, offering tools and financial assistance to help patients understand and manage costs.

“This recognition is a testament to the extraordinary people and culture that define Hartford HealthCare,” said Jeffrey A. Flaks, President and CEO. “Our colleagues make this possible every day by relentlessly innovating and working together to deliver world-class quality while improving affordability and access for the communities we serve. This award reflects what happens when the best people come together with a shared purpose—to transform healthcare for everyone.”

About the Steven Schroeder Award

The Outstanding Healthcare CEO award is named in honor of Steven Schroeder, MD, Distinguished Professor of Health and Health Care at the University of California San Francisco and former President and CEO of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Dr. Schroeder has spent over five decades inspiring and mentoring leaders to strongly advocate for better quality and more affordable healthcare, and he has inspired leaders of both Costs of Care and The Leapfrog Group.

“There are many reasons why Jeff Flaks is a worthy recipient of this year’s award,” said Dr. Schroeder. “Under Mr. Flaks’ leadership, Hartford HealthCare has made remarkable achievements in both quality and affordability. Hartford HealthCare has created a host of impressive community-based programs that promote both accessibility and affordability of health care. By creating a culture of quality and service to the community, Mr. Flaks stands as a model leader who promotes the core values of health care. I hope that many others will emulate his example.”

This year marks the eighth annual Steven Schroeder Award for Outstanding Healthcare CEO. Past recipients of the Steven Schroeder Award include:

  • Mr. Richard A. Anderson, President and CEO of St. Luke’s University Health Network in central eastern Pennsylvania and western New Jersey
  • Mr. Charles Holland, President and CEO of St. Bernard Hospital in Chicago
  • J. Stephen Jones, MD, FACS, President and CEO of Inova Health System in Northern Virginia
  • Joanne M. Conroy, MD, CEO and President of Dartmouth Health in New Hampshire
  • Mr. Carl S. Armato, President and CEO of Novant Health in North Carolina
  • Mr. John A. DiAngelo, former President and CEO of Inspira Health in New Jersey
  • Gary S. Kaplan, MD, former Chairman and CEO of Virginia Mason in Seattle, Washington