50 of Healthcare's Most Powerful People

The U.S. healthcare system is heading into one of its most monumental years in decades, as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will go into near-full motion. Many sectors in the healthcare industry have played major roles in shaping the system we have today: hospitals, health systems, physicians, nurses, health insurance companies, scientists, researchers, politicians, advocacy groups, lobbyists, journalists, Wall Streeters and more.

As we head into 2014, here are 50 of the most powerful people who have shaped policy, thoughts, operations and management in healthcare. Note: People are listed in alphabetical order.

Joel Allison. Mr. Allison serves as CEO of Baylor Scott & White Health in Dallas. This past year, he oversaw the merger of Baylor Health Care System and Scott & White Healthcare, creating Baylor Scott & White. The new organization, which is the largest nonprofit health system in Texas, includes 43 hospitals, more than 6,000 physicians, 34,000 employees, the Scott & White Health Plan and about $8.3 billion in combined assets. Mr. Allison has been with Baylor since 1993, when he was the system's senior executive vice president and COO, before becoming Baylor's president and CEO in 2000. He also has a national presence, serving on the Healthcare Leadership Council and The Joint Commission board of commissioners.

To read the rest of the list, visit Becker's Hospital Review.