Dr. Elder Granger, MD, FACP, FACPE, CMQ

Dr. Elder Granger is a distinguished physician, retired Major General, and nationally recognized leader in healthcare policy, clinical medicine, and military medical operations. He served as the Deputy Director and Program Executive Officer of the TRICARE Management Activity, overseeing a $19 billion Defense Health Program. In this role, he advised the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Health Affairs) and led global efforts to deliver high-quality, accessible healthcare to more than 9.4 million military beneficiaries. He directed a staff of over 1,800 professionals, integrating military managed care programs across the globe.

A graduate of the University of Arkansas School of Medicine (1980) and a fellowship-trained hematologist-oncologist (Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, 1986), Dr. Granger has combined his clinical expertise with systems-level thinking, resulting in a distinguished legacy in both operational medicine and healthcare research. His academic training also includes the Army War College and the Combat Casualty Care Course, among others.

As Commander of Task Force 44th Medical Command and Command Surgeon for the Multinational Corps in Iraq, Dr. Granger oversaw the largest U.S. and multinational battlefield health system in recent history. His leadership in combat medicine has informed much of his subsequent research in preventive services, patient safety, and evidence-based care in military populations.

Dr. Granger has co-authored over a dozen peer-reviewed scientific publications, including several works addressing cancer care, cardiovascular outcomes, and pharmacological safety in military and TRICARE populations. His oncology and diabetes -relevant research includes:

· “A Comparison of Select Cardiovascular Outcomes by Antidiabetic Prescription Drug Classes Used to Treat Type 2 Diabetes Among Military Health System Beneficiaries” – highlighting treatment-associated risks relevant to cancer comorbidities and long-term medication management.

· “Use of Oseltamivir After Influenza Infection Is Associated With Reduced Incidence of Recurrent Adverse Cardiovascular Outcomes Among Military Health System Beneficiaries With Prior Cardiovascular Diseases” – examining longitudinal outcomes in populations with overlapping cancer and cardiac vulnerabilities.

· “Temporal Trends in Anti-Diabetes Drug Use in TRICARE Following Safety Warnings in 2007 About Rosiglitazone” – exploring pharmacovigilance and safety surveillance frameworks, which parallel monitoring approaches in oncology therapeutics.

Thematically, Dr. Granger’s body of work emphasizes:

· Health equity and eliminating racial and ethnic disparities in care

· Preventive health service utilization in large populations

· Evidence-based policy development across the Military Health System

· Risk mitigation and safety profiling for pharmaceuticals used in chronic disease and cancer-adjacent settings

Today, Dr. Granger advises public and private healthcare organizations on patient-centered transformation, performance improvement, and leadership development. He is also active in multiple advisory roles across academia and industry, championing innovation, data-driven care models, and equity-focused system design.

He and his wife, Brenda, reside in Colorado. They are the proud parents of Elder II, a practicing attorney, and Eldesia, a medical doctor.