WILMINGTON - On February 13, 2025, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer announced his nominees to the Diamond State Hospital Cost Review Board: Dr. Thomas Sweeney, a distinguished emergency medicine physician and healthcare leader, and Gary Ferguson, a seasoned healthcare executive with more than four decades of leadership experience in health system operations, medical administration, and public health planning. These nominations will require confirmation by the Delaware State Senate.

“Dr. Sweeney and Mr. Ferguson are respected healthcare leaders in Delaware–two experts who understand the ins and outs of how a healthcare organization should operate,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “Delaware’s healthcare cost and accessibility struggles are not unique; however, Delaware is unique in that we have access to some of the country’s best and brightest minds. Adding the voices of Mr. Ferguson and Dr. Sweeney to the conversation will prove valuable to the people of our great state. I thank the Senate in advance for swiftly confirming these two industry experts. ”

For more information, please contact Mila Myles at [email protected]

Biographies

Dr. Thomas Sweeney

Dr. Thomas Sweeney is a distinguished emergency medicine physician and healthcare leader with over three decades of experience in clinical practice, medical education, and emergency medical services (EMS) leadership. His career has been dedicated to improving patient care, advancing emergency response systems, and mentoring the next generation of healthcare professionals.

Dr. Sweeney retired from the clinical practice of emergency medicine in 2024 after a long and accomplished career. He currently works part-time as the medical director for the Institute for Physician Assistant Education at Widener University, where he helps shape the training and development of future healthcare providers.

A longtime advocate for accessible healthcare, Dr. Sweeney has chaired the board of directors of Westside Family Healthcare for 15 years, guiding a federally qualified health center with over 220 employees in its mission to provide high-quality care to underserved communities. He also served as treasurer and later president of the board of directors for Doctors for Emergency Service (DFES), leading a team of 120 emergency physicians and physician assistants.

From 2001 to 2018, he was associate chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine at ChristianaCare Health System, where he oversaw performance improvement and system-wide credentialing. He also served as a trauma center site reviewer for the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, ensuring high standards of care in emergency departments nationwide.

Dr. Sweeney has had a long-standing impact on emergency medical services (EMS) in Delaware. He was the first medical director of the Mobile Intensive Care Nurse Team (now Lifenet), the first EMS medical director of the Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission, and later New Castle County EMS medical director. His leadership in disaster preparedness and emergency response extended to chairing the Emergency Management Committee (formerly the Disaster Committee) at ChristianaCare.

He earned his master’s degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2010, complementing his extensive clinical and leadership experience. Dr. Sweeney graduated from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, before joining DFES at the Medical Center of Delaware (now ChristianaCare) in 1993.

He is fluent in German and lives in Pike Creek, Delaware, with his wife, where they raised their three daughters. 

Gary Ferguson

Gary Ferguson is a seasoned healthcare executive with more than four decades of leadership experience in health system operations, medical administration, and public health planning. His career has been defined by a commitment to strengthening healthcare delivery and expanding access to quality care in Delaware.

For 30 years, Gary served in various leadership roles at ChristianaCare Health System, one of the nation’s leading healthcare providers. His tenure culminated in his role as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, where he spent 14 years overseeing system-wide operations, driving strategic initiatives, and ensuring high-quality patient care.

Before joining ChristianaCare, Gary was Executive Director of the Rockford Center, Delaware’s premier behavioral health facility. He previously served as Executive Director of the Delaware Academy of Medicine, where he supported medical education, professional development, and public health initiatives. Earlier in his career, he worked with the Delaware Health Council, a federally funded health planning agency, serving as a Health Planner, Assistant Director, and eventually Executive Director.

Gary earned his Bachelor of Science from Penn State University and a Master of Public Health in Health Services Administration and Planning from the University of Pittsburgh.

Now retired for nearly a decade, Gary and his wife, Denise, have lived in North Wilmington for 50 years. They have two sons and five grandchildren and remain deeply connected to the Delaware community.