Partners at Red Cell Welcome Timothy G. Ferris, MD, to Lead Healthcare Practice
Red Cell Partners, a firm dedicated to incubating and investing in technology-driven companies that are revolutionizing healthcare, cyber, and national security, has announced that Dr. Timothy G. Ferris has joined as President of its Healthcare Practice. Dr. Ferris, who served as the first National Director of Transformation at NHS England and was formerly CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, brings a wealth of leadership experience to this critical role at Red Cell Partners.
In his new role, Dr. Ferris will oversee Red Cell Partners’ healthcare strategy, incubations, and investments. He will work closely with existing founders of healthcare initiatives at Red Cell Partners while partnering with new entrepreneurs to create innovative health-tech companies. These new companies will aim to address some of healthcare’s most pressing challenges. This strategic shift underscores Red Cell Partners’ commitment to advancing solutions that have the potential to revolutionize healthcare.
Dr. Ferris is replacing Naimish Patel, who will now serve as Chief Growth Officer at Red Cell Partners. This leadership transition highlights the firm’s ongoing efforts to scale healthcare innovations that can have a transformative impact on the industry.
“I am excited to welcome Tim to Red Cell Partners,” said Grant Verstandig, Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Red Cell Partners. “As one of the world’s leading healthcare visionaries, Tim has spent his career reshaping medicine—from its organization and governance to its financing and delivery. His work, particularly during his time at NHS England, was pivotal in accelerating the digitization of frontline services and redesigning tech-enabled care models. With his extensive experience, Tim will help us develop healthcare solutions that not only tackle systemic challenges in the U.S. but also improve patient outcomes and enhance access to affordable care.”
Dr. Ferris echoed this sentiment, stressing the critical healthcare challenges he plans to tackle at Red Cell Partners. “With the U.S. population aging rapidly—approximately 18 percent of the population is already over 65, and this figure is projected to rise to 23 percent by 2054—our healthcare system is under increasing strain. Coupled with the growing shortage of healthcare providers and the expanding range of diagnostic and therapeutic options, the need for change is urgent.
These are the very issues I have dedicated my career to solving, and joining Red Cell Partners presents an exciting opportunity to continue this work in a more entrepreneurial capacity. I look forward to partnering with the team here to build transformative companies and introduce advanced technologies that will address these challenges head-on, positioning Red Cell Partners as a leader in reshaping the U.S. healthcare system.”
Before joining Red Cell Partners, Dr. Ferris served for three years as NHS England’s inaugural National Director of Transformation. In this capacity, he acted as the organization’s chief digital officer, responsible for overseeing care improvement infrastructure, technology strategy, data systems, biotech innovation, and life sciences research. Under Dr. Ferris’s leadership, NHS England expanded data-sharing capabilities, enabled real-time dashboards for leadership, and implemented predictive analytics. His team also extended the NHS App services to more than two-thirds of England’s population, while spearheading the NHS home hospital program, which added 10,000 additional hospital beds over two years.
Prior to his role at NHS England, Dr. Ferris was the CEO of the Mass General Physicians Organization, where he managed 3,000 Harvard faculty physicians. He also served as Senior Vice President for Population Health at Mass General Brigham, leading one of the largest accountable care organizations in the U.S. In addition, Dr. Ferris founded the Center for Population Health, which used data analytics to improve the health of over a million patients annually. He also founded Codametrix, an AI-based healthcare coding company now implemented in over 20 health systems.
Dr. Ferris has co-authored more than 150 publications on healthcare quality measurement, health IT, and health disparities. He has received numerous accolades, including the National Patient Safety Socius Award and the Harvard Medical School Mentoring Award. A Professor of Medicine at Harvard University since 2018, Dr. Ferris remains on staff at Mass General Hospital and continues to teach and provide advisory services at Harvard and MIT.
Red Cell Partners is an incubation and investment firm that specializes in building and investing in rapidly scalable, technology-led companies in healthcare, cyber, and national security. Driven by a strong sense of duty and belief in the power of innovation, Red Cell Partners aims to develop tools and solutions that address the nation’s most urgent challenges. Through its leadership, Red Cell Partners is committed to transforming industries and improving lives.
With Dr. Ferris now on board, Red Cell Partners is well-positioned to make significant advancements in healthcare. His extensive experience across both the public and private sectors, combined with his passion for improving healthcare through technology and innovation, will be invaluable in driving Red Cell Partners’ mission forward. As the firm continues to scale its healthcare initiatives, Dr. Ferris will play a key role in shaping the future of the U.S. healthcare system, building partnerships, and fostering the development of innovative solutions.
