Commonwealth Fund Names David Blumenthal, M.D., as Its Next President
<em>Nationally Recognized Health Care Leader to Succeed Karen Davis as the Foundation's President on January 1, 2013 </em><p> </p>
<p>David Blumenthal, M.D., one of the nation's preeminent health information technology experts, thought leaders on primary care and professionalism, and foremost health policy scholars, has been named the next president of The Commonwealth Fund by the foundation's board, to succeed Karen Davis on January 1, 2013. Dr. Blumenthal, currently Samuel O. Thier Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School and Chief Health Information and Innovation Officer at Partners Healthcare System in Boston, has also been elected a member of the Fund's board of directors. He currently serves as the chairman of the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System. </p>
<p>In making the announcement, Commonwealth Fund board chairman James R. Tallon, Jr., said, "We are extremely fortunate to have Dr. Blumenthal take the helm of the Fund at a crucial time in the drive to achieve a high-performance health system. If the U.S. is to realize the triple aims of better health, better care, and lower cost, it will need over the next 10 years unstinting efforts by health policy and practice leaders like Dr. Blumenthal. He is ideally suited to carry forward The Commonwealth Fund's significant role in advancing delivery and payment system changes that will improve system performance." </p>
<p>Dr. Blumenthal served from 2009 to 2011 as U.S. National Coordinator for Health Information Technology, with the charge to build an interoperable, private, and secure nationwide health information system and to support the widespread, meaningful use of health IT. He succeeded in putting in place one of the largest publicly funded infrastructure investments the nation has ever made in such a short time period, in health care or any other field. </p>
<p>"With his national stature, broad experience, and skill in leading while building consensus, Dr. Blumenthal is perfectly suited to lead the foundation in moving the U.S. health care system to one that achieves access to safe, high-quality, efficient, and effective care for all Americans," said current president Karen Davis. "He is already providing strong leadership of the Fund's Commission on a High Performance Health System, and will be able to move swiftly into leading the Fund as a whole."</p>
<p>Read the <a href="/press-release/2012/commonwealth-fund-names-david-blumenthal-md-its-next-president">complete press release</a> for more information.</p>