Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Chief Clinical Officer Named to PA State Board of Medicine

Michael R. Ripchinski, MD, Chief Clinical Officer at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health (LG Health), was recently appointed to serve on the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine. Ripchinski was nominated by Gov. Tom Wolf and unanimously confirmed by the PA Senate on Feb. 9, 2022.  His first meeting with the Board was on March 15.

“Governor Wolf made an outstanding choice when he nominated Dr. Ripchinski to serve on the state Board of Medicine,” Pennsylvania’s Acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter said. “Dr. Ripchinski brings an array of practical knowledge to the board and has done an outstanding job of communicating to the public throughout the pandemic, including his efforts to promote the availability, safety and effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccine.” 

As LG Health’s Chief Clinical Officer, Dr. Ripchinski collaborates with the University of Pennsylvania Health System (Penn Medicine) Chief Medical Officers and Chief Nursing Officers on the journey to become a highly reliable organization with a focus on quality and safety. He works to shape the future of digital patient engagement with seamless patient and provider access and user-friendly experiences at scale with teams across all of Penn Medicine. In addition, Dr. Ripchinski participates in recruitment, retention, and workforce wellness initiatives to create the very best place to work.

Dr. Ripchinski joined LG Health in 2003. He provides administrative leadership to the LG Health Medical and Dental staff, collaborates with operational and service-line teams to drive high reliability, and is responsible for quality, safety and analytics across LG Health. He is a graduate of the Penn State College of Medicine, a Fellow in the American Academy of Family Physicians and a Certified Physician Executive. Dr. Ripchinski is board-certified in family medicine and clinical informatics, and he practices at Walter L. Aument Family Health Center in Quarryville.

The State Board of Medicine regulates the practice of medicine through the licensure, registration and certification of members of the medical profession in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Board regulates medical doctors, physician assistants, radiology technicians, respiratory therapists, nurse-midwives, acupuncturists, practitioners of oriental medicine, perfusionists, behavioral specialists, and athletic trainers. 

“Whether if it was playing a critical role in spearheading the creation of Lancaster County’s mass vaccination site or providing answers and information to officials and the public throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dr. Ripchinski has continually focused on the health of the people of Lancaster County,” said state Sen. Scott Martin (R-13). “I have no doubt that as a member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Medicine he will continue to use his medical expertise for the benefit of the entire Commonwealth.”

“I am thrilled to have a local Lancaster County health professional serving in a statewide capacity,” said state Sen. Ryan Aument (R-36). “Not only is Dr. Ripchinski an exceptional addition to the State Board of Medicine, but his strong record of working to improve the health and lives of residents throughout our community clearly qualifies him for the role. I have the utmost confidence in his ability to add valuable input to the work of the Board.”

The Board also reviews the facilities and qualifications of medical colleges and other medical facilities outside the Commonwealth whose trainees or graduates desire to obtain licensure, certification or graduate medical training in the Commonwealth. Please visit the PA Department of State’s website to learn more about the PA State of Board of Medicine.