James Clarke Biography

James A. Clarke, M.D. is vice president of primary care and care transition for Hackensack Meridian Health, a $5.5 billion leading not-for-profit health care organization that is the most comprehensive and truly integrated health care network in New Jersey. The network encompasses 16 hospitals, including three academic medical centers, two children’s hospitals, nine community hospitals, two rehabilitation hospitals and more than 450 patient care sites and physician offices.

As vice president, Dr. Clarke oversees Hackensack Meridian Health Partners, the network’s clinically integrated network, which is dedicated to improving health outcomes, reducing health care costs and enhancing the patient experience in the community. He is responsible for physician recruitment and satisfaction as well as ensuring Hackensack Meridian Health Partners meets or exceeds its standards for clinical quality and safety.

Dr. Clarke has been an influential leader at Hackensack Meridian Health for decades. Before entering his current position, Dr. Clarke served as vice president of clinical effectiveness and medical affairs for Ocean Medical Center while also fulfilling the role of president of medical and dental staff. Dr. Clarke was a leading force on Ocean Medical Center being named to U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hospitals metro area rankings. He was also an integral part of the opening of the hospital’s Center for Wound Healing and the expansion of its emergency department. Dr. Clarke is also a founding member of the network’s Physician as Partner Committee which is charged with developing an understanding of the challenges physicians face and establishing a stronger relationship between Hackensack Meridian Health and the physician. With Dr. Clarke’s guidance the committee has implemented several beneficial measures including a physician survey and annual physician appreciation event.

In addition, Dr. Clarke has been keeping Ocean and Monmouth counties healthy for more than 20 years through his family medicine practices in Manasquan and Brick.

Dr. Clarke has received several awards throughout his professional career including the APPLE Award – Acknowledging Physician Partners; A Liaison for Excellence – from the Institute for Nursing for his fostering of the physician-nurse relationship and his dedication to patients. Ocean Medical Center also awarded him the Physician of the Year Award in 2008 while the nurses honored him with the Nurses Choice, Physician of the Year in 2007.

Before joining Hackensack Meridian Health, Dr. Clarke practiced as an Emergency Room Physician at North Broward Medical Center in Pompano, Florida, and St. Mary Hospital in Hoboken, New Jersey. He received his Pre Med B.S. from St. Peter’s College in Jersey City, New Jersey. After studying at the Universidad Central Del Este Medical School in the Dominican Republic, Dr. Clarke returned to New Jersey and completed his residency at St. Mary Hospital.