Endocrine Insider
April 29, 2010

(See Full Issue)

President Obama last week named Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public Health professor Donald Berwick as his nominee to head the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The nomination was not unexpected. CMS has been without an administrator since the President took office in January 2009, and Dr. Berwick’s name had been mentioned as a potential candidate for the past several weeks.

Dr. Berwick, a pediatrician, is the president and CEO of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, a non-profit organization focusing on creating safety, effectiveness, patient-centeredness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity in the health care system. Major medical and patient groups including the American Medical Association and AARP have lauded Dr. Berwick’s nomination.

The Senate is required to approve the appointment of Dr. Berwick, and confirmation hearings are scheduled to begin in the coming weeks.

Future issues of Endocrine Insider will provide details on any new developments as the approval process moves forward.