Racial Disparities in Healthcare

Dr. Imamu Tomlinson, CEO of Vituity and a practicing emergency physician, discusses his own experience with discrimination as a Black American and how it has influenced his approach to leadership and medicine.  He talks about conversations he has had with his physician teams about racial injustice, the role of healthcare in serving as an equalizer, and the impact healthcare access can have on bringing justice to local communities.

Imamu Tomlinson, MD, MBA, is the Chief Executive Officer at Vituity, a physician-led and -owned multispecialty partnership. With over 16 years of clinical leadership and practice management experience, Dr. Tomlinson brings deep operational and clinical knowledge to foster Vituity’s mission to be at the heart of better care.

In his role, Dr. Tomlinson oversees Vituity’s 300+ practice locations, focusing on clinical and cultural integration, and strategies that improve patient satisfaction and drive operational efficiency. Since his appointment as CEO in 2017, Vituity has expanded its practice location footprint by 17 percent.

Additionally, during his tenure, Dr. Tomlinson formalized two disciplines within Vituity to support improved patient care: an innovation team, including the appointment of the organization’s first Chief Innovation Officer, and a diversity and inclusion initiative. He also champions physician engagement initiatives, including fellowship programs and innovation grants, to further empower Vituity’s healthcare providers to deliver exceptional care and collaborate across the care continuum.

Prior to Vituity, Dr. Tomlinson was the Chief of Staff for the Adventist Health Central Valley Network, where he continues to practice as an emergency physician. He previously served as Medical Director for Adventist Health’s Hanford and Selma Emergency Departments. At Adventist Health, he spearheaded an effort to create the network’s Department of Emergency and Diagnostic Medicine and later served as the department’s chair.

Outside of his work at Vituity, Dr. Tomlinson is devoted to making a difference in his local community through the 24/7 Foundation, which works with kids in the Central Valley Youth to inspire mental toughness, athletic competition, and resilience through basketball.