Shereef Elnahal

Shereef Elnahal
Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health
Incumbent
Assumed office July 21, 2022
President	Joe Biden
Secretary	Denis McDonough
Preceded by	David Shulkin (2017)
21st Commissioner of New Jersey Department of Health
In office January 25, 2018 – July 1, 2019
Governor	Phil Murphy
Preceded by	Christopher Rinn[1]
Succeeded by	Judith Persichilli
Personal details
Born	(1985-06-05) June 5, 1985 (age 39) New Jersey, U.S.
Political party	Independent
Education	Johns Hopkins University (BA) Harvard University (MD, MBA)
Profession	Medical doctor

Shereef Elnahal (born June 5, 1985) is an American physician who is the current United States Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health. He previously served as the 21st commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health from 2018 to 2019, and as the president/CEO of University Hospital in Newark from 2019 to 2022.^[2][3] He also previously served as an Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Quality, Safety and Value from 2016 to 2018.

In November 2020, Elnahal was named a volunteer member of the Joe Biden presidential transition Agency Review Team to support transition efforts related to the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.^[4] He was confirmed to his position as Undersecretary on July 22, 2022, and was sworn in on the same day.

Early life and education

Elnahal is the son of physicians who moved to the United States from Egypt. He grew up in Linwood and Galloway Township^[5] and attended St. Augustine Preparatory School before graduating from Mainland Regional High School in 2003.^[6]

He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in biophysics from Johns Hopkins University and a dual M.D.–M.B.A. from Harvard University.^[7]

Career

Elnahal was appointed to the White House Fellows program by President Barack Obama in 2015.^[8] He then served as the Assistant Deputy Under Secretary for Health for Quality, Safety and Value from 2016 to 2018 in the United States Department of Veterans Affairs from 2016 to 2018.^[9][10]

New Jersey Department of Health

Shereef Elnahal was nominated in January 2018 to serve in the Cabinet of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy.^[11] He was approved by the New Jersey Senate on March 8, 2018^[12] and sworn in on April 2, 2018.^[13] He is the first Muslim-American to serve in the cabinet.^[14] He resigned effective July 1, 2019 to become president/CEO of University Hospital in Newark.^[15]

In order address the opioid epidemic, Elnahal's efforts included expansion of syringe access and harm reduction,^[16] new funding to connect substance use disorder providers to electronic health records and a statewide health information exchange,^[17] and reducing regulatory barriers to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for addiction treatment.^[18]

On June 24, 2019, Elnahal authorized NJ's paramedics to administer buprenorphine in the field after naloxone administration at the time of overdose.^[19] Although buprenorphine use for withdrawal management is technically off-label, the rationale is to manage a patient's withdrawal symptoms and cravings immediately after revival, in order to encourage more to accept transport to the emergency room for further care.^[20] NJ is the first state in the nation to take this step, and received national attention for doing so.^[21]

Soon after his election, Governor Murphy restored state funding to family planning agencies in New Jersey, which were line-item vetoed by Governor Chris Christie, Murphy's predecessor, for seven straight annual budgets. Under Commissioner Elnahal, the department then disbursed these funds in grants that resulted in 10,000 more women served, 80,000 additional STD tests administered, and many additional clinic hours and staff.^[22] Elnahal has also collaborated with NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy on maternal and infant health initiatives, including her Nurture NJ.^[23]

Elnahal also expanded provider participation in the NJ Health Information Network, a statewide health information exchange. Over 60 hospitals, three federally qualified health centers, and 6,000 physicians joined this network since the Murphy administration began, tying important sources of hospital funding like charity care to requirements to join the program.^[24]

During Elnahal's tenure, the Department of Health significantly expanded New Jersey's medical marijuana program, more than doubling the number of dispensaries and number of patients served and expanding the number of physicians in the program.^[25]

Veterans Health Administration

In March 2022, President Joe Biden nominated Elnahal to serve as Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health.^[26] He was confirmed on July 21, 2022, by a vote of 66–23, and was sworn in the same day.^[27]

References

1. Livio, Susan K. (9 November 2017). "Christie appoints 9/11 responder to N.J.'s top health post". nj.com.
2. Livio, Susan K. (2019-06-24). "Nurse who exposed problems at state's only public hospital will be N.J.'s next top health official, sources say". nj.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
3. Arco, Matt (2019-06-25). "Murphy makes it official on N.J. health commissioner. She'll be the first former nurse hold the post". nj.com. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
4. "Agency Review Teams". President-Elect Joe Biden. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
5. "Murphy nominates Muslim-American for health commissioner". The Washington Times. Retrieved May 19, 2019.
6. Leonard, Nicole. "Mainland grad likely to become new New Jersey health commissioner", The Press of Atlantic City, March 12, 2018. Accessed May 21, 2019. "Before Elnahal became a state-appointed physician under Murphy and a federal one under President Barack Obama in 2015, he and his siblings grew up in Galloway Township and Linwood, where his parents settled after emigrating from Egypt.... Elnahal attended St. Augustine Prep in Buena Vista Township and later Mainland Regional, where he graduated second in his class in 2003."
7. "Shereef M. Elnahal, MD, MBA". www.ahvrp.org.
8. Pearce, Katie (2015-10-02). "New class of White House Fellows includes two from Johns Hopkins". The Hub. Retrieved 2020-06-11.
9. Office of the Commissioner. "NJ Department of Health". Retrieved May 13, 2019
10. "Dr. Shereef Elnahal - Office of Public and Intergovernmental Affairs". www.va.gov. Retrieved 2022-07-27.
11. Johnson, Brent (9 January 2018). "Murphy to choose another ex-Obama official for his Cabinet". nj.com.
12. Leonard, Nicole (12 March 2018). "Mainland grad likely to become new New Jersey health commissioner". Press of Atlantic City.
13. "Take Five with Commissioner Elnahal". NJHCQI. 12 April 2018.
14. Johnson, Brent (January 11, 2018). "Another Phil Murphy cabinet pick could make history". The Star-Ledger. Retrieved 15 January 2018.
15. "NJ health commissioner leaves to become University Hospital president and CEO". North Jersey.
16. N.J. to launch local needle exchanges, enhance services at current sites. "WHYY". Retrieved May 13, 2019
17. NJ TO FUND BETTER ELECTRONIC HEALTH RECORDS FOR ADDICTION SERVICES. "NJ Spotlight". Retrieved May 13, 2019
18. Should behavioral health patients be able to get treatment in primary care settings? Elnahal says, ‘Yes’. "ROI-NJ". Retrieved May 13, 2019
19. NJ health commissioner: Paramedics can now carry buprenorphine for OD victims. "Courier Post". Retrieved July 3, 2019
20. NJ FIRST STATE TO LET PARAMEDICS OFFER PRIME OPIOID-WITHDRAWAL DRUG. "NJ Spotlight". Retrieved July 3, 2019
21. A Radical Way to Stop Heroin Overdoses. "The Atlantic". Retrieved July 3, 2019
22. Murphy: State sees increase in women’s access to health care after funding is restored. "News 12 NJ". Retrieved May 13, 2019
23. NJ’S First Lady Launches Campaign To Lower Maternal Mortality. "NJ Spotlight." Retrieved May 13, 2019
24. Charity care funding to remain unchanged at $262M — but, this year, it comes with requirements. "ROI-NJ". Retrieved May 13, 2019
25. Murphy says medical marijuana program adds 25K patients. "NJTV". Retrieved May 14, 2019
26. "President Biden Announces Key Nominees". The White House. 2022-03-09. Retrieved 2022-03-09.
27. "PN1843 - Nomination of Shereef M. Elnahal for Department of Veterans Affairs, 117th Congress (2021-2022)". www.congress.gov. 2022-07-21. Retrieved 2022-07-27.

External links

• Appearances on C-SPAN

Political offices
Preceded by David M. Shulkin, M.D.	Under Secretary of Veterans Affairs for Health 2022-present	Incumbent