Rate My Professor William Riley

William Riley, Professor in the Science of Health Care Delivery at Arizona State University’s College of Health Solutions, is a distinguished leader in health care systems research and education. Holding a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (1982), Riley has built an extensive career bridging academia, health policy, and executive leadership. Since joining ASU in 2013, he has served as Founding Director of the School for the Science of Health Care Delivery (2015–present) and Director of the National Safety Net Advancement Center (2013–present). Previously, he was Associate Dean and Deputy Division Head at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health (2001–2012), Interim President and CEO of the Public Health Accreditation Board (2008–2009), President and CEO of Pacific Medical Center in Seattle (1998–2001), Senior Vice President at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota (1993–1998), and Chief Executive Officer of Aspen Medical Group (1986–1998).

Riley’s scholarship centers on population health, health care finance, value-based payment systems, patient safety, and quality improvement. He co-authored the book Managing Health Organizations for Quality and Performance (2013) and co-edited Quality Function Deployment and Lean Six Sigma Applications in Public Health (2010), which earned the Golden Quill Award from the American Society for Quality (2011). Notable peer-reviewed articles include “Patient Attribution—A Call for a System Redesign” (JAMA Health Forum, 2023), “Ensuring a Reliable Platelet Supply in the United States” (New England Journal of Medicine, 2023), “A Framework for Oral Health Value Based Payment Approaches” (Journal of the American Dental Association, 2019), and “Framework for Multisector Alignment Research” (Journal of Public Health Management and Practice, 2021). His research has shaped health policy through reports on price gouging in U.S. healthcare, blood supply during COVID-19, and multisector collaboration. Riley’s impact is evidenced by awards including ASU’s President’s Medal for Social Embeddedness (2023), Distinguished Faculty Award (2022), Research Impact Award (2018), and Educator of the Year (2016–2018).