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DURHAM, N.C. -- Thomas Owens, M.D., has been named executive vice president and chief operating officer of Duke University Health System (DUHS).

Owens succeeds Craig Albanese, M.D., who was recently named chief executive officer of DUHS. Both will begin their new roles on April 1, 2023.

“An exceptional leader with more than two decades of experience at Duke Health, Dr. Owens has contributed greatly to our ability to deliver highest-quality, equitable patient care to hundreds of thousands of people each year,” said A. Eugene Washington, M.D., chancellor for health affairs at Duke University and president and chief executive officer of DUHS. “Over the course of his leadership career, he has overseen operations and strategic priorities across Duke’s network of hospitals, clinics and population health care settings.”

Owens most recently served as group president of acute care, senior vice president of DUHS, and president of Duke University Hospital. In the senior vice president role, he directly managed DUHS-employed physicians, Duke Primary Care, Duke HomeCare and Hospice, Graduate Medical Education, population health management programs, and payer value-based contracts through Duke Connected Care.

In 2020, Owens played a critical role in leading the hospital’s and the health system’s COVID response, collaborating with state government officials, operational leaders and frontline teams to deliver outstanding, equitable outcomes.

As president of Duke University Hospital, which is ranked No. 1 in North Carolina for quality, Owens oversaw the 2021 opening of the 350-bed, 490,000-square-foot Duke Central Tower, becoming North Carolina’s largest hospital.

“Especially at this pivotal time, we are fortunate to have Dr. Owens and other talented leaders across Duke Health to help us capitalize on our momentum coming out of the pandemic and to further foster the culture of respect and belonging that supports all team members to excel and thrive,” Albanese said.