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September 30, 2024 / 2024 Power 25 Health Care

2024 Power 25 Health Care: Deidre Gifford

Deidre Gifford
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Even though she remains atop the state Office of Health Strategy (OHS), Dr. Deidre Gifford is no longer its executive director.

Earlier this year, the state General Assembly approved changing her title. She’s now commissioner of OHS.

While her title changed, the stresses of the job remain. OHS oversees healthcare-related expansions, contractions and mergers in the state. That includes Yale New Haven Health’s still-pending proposal to acquire Manchester Memorial, Rockville General and Waterbury hospitals, which is now embroiled in lawsuits.

OHS also still draws criticism. During this year’s short legislative session, leaders on both sides of the aisle blamed the agency and Gifford for the failure to pass changes to the agency’s Certificate of Need program. They vowed to try again next year.

On a more positive note, OHS and the state Department of Social Services (DSS) were selected this year by the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to participate in a new, voluntary state “total cost of care” model. The model focuses on improving population health, advancing health equity and curbing the growth of healthcare costs. Connecticut was one of just three states chosen to start the program.

In addition to leading OHS since January 2023, Gifford also serves as a senior advisor to Gov. Ned Lamont on health and human services issues. In that role, she is responsible for leading and coordinating efforts between agencies and working closely with the state Office of Policy and Management, while providing Lamont with recommendations on a variety of health- and social-related issues.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Gifford was a member of Lamont’s team in planning and implementing the state’s response to the public health emergency. In May 2020, as the pandemic was worsening, Lamont appointed Gifford to lead the Department of Public Health as acting commissioner.

She had previously led DSS between June 2019 and January 2023.

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