Steven J. Stack, M.D., an emergency physician practicing in Lexington, Ky., was named president-elect of the American Medical Association (AMA). Following a year-long term as president-elect, Dr. Stack will assume the office of AMA president in June 2015. At that time he will be age 43 and the youngest AMA president in the last 100 years.
“It is a deep honor and privilege to be named president-elect of an organization that is committed to serving as a strong physician voice and a dedicated patient advocate on the pressing health care issues confronting our nation,” said Dr. Stack. “With vision and perseverance, I look forward to creating a brighter future for patients and the medical profession.”
Elected to the AMA Board of Trustees in 2006, he was the first board-certified emergency physician to serve as an AMA board member. During the last eight years, Dr. Stack has served in many leadership positions, including AMA board chair and AMA secretary. Prior to his service on the AMA board, he held a distinguished record as an elected leader within numerous state, national and specialty medical associations.
Dr. Stack is nationally recognized for his special expertise in health information technology and served in the role of chair of the AMA's Health Information Technology Advisory Group from 2007 to 2013. He has also served on multiple federal advisory groups for the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), including the Information Exchange, PCAST Report, and Strategic Plan workgroups.
In his home state of Kentucky, Dr. Stack has served as medical director of the emergency departments at St. Joseph East in Lexington, Ky. and St. Joseph Mt. Sterling in rural eastern Kentucky. He also served as medical director of the emergency department at Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis, Tenn.
Born and raised in Cleveland, Dr. Stack graduated magna cum laude from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. He returned to Ohio and completed his medical school education and emergency medicine training at the Ohio State University before moving to Memphis to begin his clinical practice. In 2006, he and his family relocated to Lexington.
Dr. Stack is married and the proud father of a 9-year-old daughter. His wife, Tracie, is a practicing board-certified pediatric allergist and fellow AMA member.
