The 2026 Trailblazers in Health Care
Contact: Jamie Leszczynski
When people think about health care, they tend to think primarily about doctors and nurses. But getting proper medical attention goes much deeper, relying on a multilayered, interconnected system of medical specialists, business leaders, insurance executives, technology professionals, educators, scientists, drugmakers, labor union chiefs, social services providers, and government regulators and policymakers – not to mention the advocacy organizations and interest groups that influence health care policy. Of course, public health depends on an innumerable array of factors, starting with having a safe place to live and earning an adequate income, which expands the scope to an even broader group of individuals and institutions that contribute to a healthy society. As the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated, investing in public health and ensuring communication and collaboration among the many players at the local, state, federal and international levels are utterly essential.
City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Health Care, written and researched in partnership with journalist Lon Cohen, puts a spotlight on many of these key figures in New York, including high-ranking elected officials, high-powered health care executives and highly effective advocates.
Michael Backus, President & CEO, was named as one of City & State's Trailblazers in Health Care. A former Oswego County clerk, Michael Backus brings a public service mindset to hospital leadership, which he perfected during the COVID-19 pandemic. He uses his public service background to help shape health care policy from his perch leading Oswego Health. Backus is one of the state’s top rural health advocates, warning that Medicaid cuts would be catastrophic for communities and arguing that “every dollar we earn is reinvested into expanding access, modernizing services and ensuring quality care close to home.” Under his leadership, Oswego Hospital is undergoing a $14 million emergency and imaging expansion, expected to be completed at the end of this year.
To view the full article, click here.