Greg Wilmot: Shaping the Future of Community Healthcare with Compassion and Innovation

Greg Wilmot is a dynamic leader and the President & CEO of NeighborHealth, dedicated to improving community health in Greater Boston in a meaningful way. With years of experience in the health and human services industries and a passion for social welfare, Greg is successfully leading NeighborHealth to deliver high-quality health care that is compassionate, people-centric, culturally appropriate, and open to all.

The Inspiration behind Joining NeighborHealth

Joining NeighborHealth, Massachusetts’s largest federally qualified community health center, was an unexpected turn in Greg’s career journey. In the first half of his career, he worked at the state’s largest health insurer and then with large hospital systems. Over the years, Greg led projects focused on healthcare reform, which often required collaboration with community advocates and leaders of community health centers. Through this networking, he met the former CEO of NeighborHealth, who introduced him to the incredible work of NeighborHealth, then known as East Boston Neighborhood Health Center.

NeighborHealth has provided Greg with a unique professional opportunity that allows him to combine his career experience with his longstanding passion for community health in Greater Boston. The organization prioritizes accessible and culturally sensitive healthcare—a mission that resonated deeply with his values.

In addition to offering high-quality senior care and primary care, Greg was drawn to NeighborHealth’s wide range of services, which include emergency care, behavioral health, and specialty care. This comprehensive approach ensures that patients receive well-rounded care tailored to their individual needs while also considering cultural preferences and language needs for improved health outcomes.

Greg Wilmot’s Significant Leadership Principles

Greg’s work and purpose are fundamentally defined by the community, a principle that motivates the leadership team and employees, half of whom are from the communities that NeighborHealth serves. In reality, they don’t just serve the community; they are part of it.

“We are led and governed by members of our community through our Board of Directors, which includes active patients and local leaders who are deeply engaged. This community-centric governance ensures that our decisions are aligned with the real needs and aspirations of the people we serve. Nearly 70 percent of our patients prefer to receive care in a language other than English, and 73 percent identify as Latino/a/x. Most of our patients are at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level,” explains Greg.

Cultivating a People-centric Culture

NeighborHealth’s multi-year recognition as a ‘Top Place to Work in Massachusetts’ underscores its commitment to fostering a supportive and inclusive environment. Greg emphasizes open communication through ongoing forums for managers and staff, data-sharing and regular gatherings, and employee feedback to inform organizational practices.

Building a people-centric culture is crucial. Ultimately, NeighborHealth’s leadership focuses on listening to and addressing the needs of patients, staff, and the community. This commitment creates a welcoming environment where everyone has access to culturally relevant and high-quality healthcare. By adopting this community-focused approach, the team empowers itself to deliver compassionate and person-centric care effectively.

Key Strategies for Sustaining Growth at NeighborHealth

NeighborHealth’s 2025 Strategic Plan is focused on four strategic goal areas, enhanced with a fresh approach. These goal areas include clinical quality, a unified experience for patients and staff, and operational excellence, all while growing to meet the community’s needs.

The team is actively working to implement innovative care delivery models that offer integrated and extended care experiences. This strategy aims to strengthen patient retention across preventative, primary, and specialty care services, while also supporting social drivers of health. For example, ensuring patients have access to healthy food is just as important as having access to medication.

Second, the highly engaged NeighborHealth team produces a best-in-industry patient-centered experience, according to ongoing patient surveys and national benchmarking. Finally, the organization aims to optimize and leverage its resources effectively to create efficiencies, manage costs, and improve the delivery of high-quality patient-centric services.

Nurturing a Strong Connection with the Local Community

NeighborHealth is dedicated to addressing the unique needs of the community. The organization has established formal structures, such as its Health Equity Committee, and formed partnerships with the Boston Public Health Commission and other healthcare systems to conduct a semi-annual Community Health Needs Assessment. These efforts help the team understand and respond to the health disparities present within the population.

In 2023, NeighborHealth launched the Behavioral Health Urgent Care Service (BHUCS), which provides timely and high-quality mental health care as part of the community’s well-being.

Additionally, NeighborHealth will continue to promote convenient access to imaging services, including digital X-rays, bedside ultrasound, CT scanning, and mammography.

“As we all know, the Baby Boomer population is aging, and senior care will need to increase rapidly. We will continue to grow and reimagine our senior care services to meet this need,” emphasizes Greg Wilmot.

Harnessing Technologies to Enhance Patient Care

NeighborHealth has integrated telehealth into its services, a transition that was accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. This allows for continued medical support through virtual consultations, facilitating seamless care delivery, particularly for those with transportation challenges or health risks.

Additionally, NeighborHealth’s MyChart patient portal empowers patients by providing easy scheduling of services such as same-day visits, flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines, and mammograms. This enhances access to preventative care.

NeighborHealth is also the first health center to launch a Model A ACO, which aims to bring value-based care to patients in collaboration with Wellsense Health Plan and Boston Medical Center (BMC) Health System. This model employs a coordinated care and data-driven approach to promote preventative health and wellness, addressing and managing costly health issues, such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes, before they develop.

Notable Initiatives to Promote Digital Health

Last year, NeighborHealth announced a partnership with SEAE Ventures to leverage digital health applications aimed at improving health outcomes for minority populations. The team is also enhancing patient care through the piloting of new AI tools within the electronic medical record system. These AI initiatives are designed to streamline clinical workflows, ultimately improving both provider experience and patient outcomes.

Key features of these tools include ambient listening, which automates the digitization of visit notes; chart summarization, which optimizes clinical evidence for efficient use at the point of care; and integrated clinical decision support, which embeds clinical guidelines into the EHR workflow for better decision-making. These innovations aim to transform patient care and make the healthcare experience more efficient for patients as well as providers.

The Future of Community-based Healthcare

Greg recognizes the urgent need to expand access to primary care services. NeighborHealth’s ambitious two-phase construction project at the East Boston Maverick Square location reflects this commitment by increasing clinical space by 27,000 square feet and adding 60 new exam rooms.

NeighborHealth is not only enhancing its physical capacity but also improving its patient-centered, team-based care model. This approach brings together a diverse group of medical professionals to address the complex needs of the community, ensuring comprehensive and collaborative care.

As the leading employer in the area, Greg and his team are dedicated to implementing socially responsible construction practices. For this project, they aim to exceed existing minority participation benchmarks, with 50% of worker hours provided by minority workers and 40% of the funds allocated to minority-owned businesses, thereby setting new standards in the city of Boston.

The Significant Challenges in the Healthcare Industry

Rising healthcare costs present a major challenge. NeighborHealth is addressing this issue by emphasizing preventive care to avoid unnecessary expenses in the future. By focusing on early intervention and routine health maintenance, the team aims to reduce chronic disease rates and associated costs.

NeighborHealth is expanding clinical spaces to deliver preventive services effectively and integrating advanced technologies like telehealth to enhance accessibility. This proactive approach empowers patients through education and supports health monitoring for timely interventions.

Road Ahead

NeighborHealth’s long-term goal is to eliminate, rather than just reduce, health disparities within the community. Greg consistently seeks new opportunities and mutually beneficial partnerships to attract additional investment. The more families and individuals who have access to preventative health care services alongside primary care, the healthier the community will be.