Admiral Raquel Bono Joins the Value Institute for Health and Care at the University of Texas at Austin

The Value Institute for Health and Care at the University of Texas at Austin is pleased to announce that Vice Admiral Raquel Bono, MD (retired) has joined the Institute as a Visiting Scholar. Before retiring from the U.S. Navy in 2019, Admiral Bono served as director of the Defense Health Agency (DHA), leading the $50 billion health care system to provide better care for military service members and their families through adoption of a value-based approach. As a Visiting Scholar, she will teach in the Value Institute’s Master of Science in Health Care Transformation degree program, collaborate in the Value Institute’s thought leadership efforts and mentor students.

A native Texan, Admiral Bono received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Austin and her medical degree at Texas Tech University. She was commissioned into the Navy in June 1979 and rose through the ranks to become one of only a few female three-star admirals. During her time in the Navy, she saw duty as a trauma surgeon in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and held numerous leadership posts, including executive assistant to the Navy Surgeon General and commanding officer of Naval Hospital Jacksonville in Florida.

As head of the DHA, Admiral Bono oversaw an enterprise of 50 hospitals and 300 clinics that serve more than 9.5 million beneficiaries. She pushed the DHA system to improve care delivery by focusing on the health outcomes that matter most to patients. A few months after her retirement, Admiral Bono was asked by Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee to oversee that state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In that role, she has worked with health care facilities and officials across the state to ensure adequate treatment and testing capacity, among other responsibilities.  Admiral Bono recently joined the board of directors of Humana (NYSE: HUM).

Commenting on her appointment, Admiral Bono said, “I am honored to return to the University of Texas and to join the Value Institute team.  Its mission to transform health care is central to the work I’ve done throughout my career and I look forward to sharing my experiences with the thousands of people who participate in the Value Institute programs.”

In announcing Admiral Bono’s appointment, Scott Wallace, Managing Director of the Value Institute said, “We look forward to working more closely with Admiral Bono and are excited to have our students benefit further from her experience and support. We are thrilled to welcome her back to the University of Texas at Austin.”