Press Release

Statement on Nomination of Donald Berwick, M.D., as Administrator...

Contact:
Elizabeth Lietz - (202) 626-2284
Alicia Mitchell - (202) 626-2339

Washington D.C.

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STATEMENT ON NOMINATION OF DONALD BERWICK, M.D., AS ADMINISTRATOR OF THE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES

Rich Umbdenstock
President and CEO
American Hospital Association

April 19, 2010

The American Hospital Association applauds President Obama's choice of Donald Berwick, M.D., as administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).  Don is a true leader in health care quality improvement and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to CMS. 

Through his work at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Don has led a movement to engage hospitals, doctors, nurses and other health care providers in the continuous quest to provide better, safer care.  Hospitals willingly answered his call to join the 100,000 Lives Campaign, adopting techniques that improve quality of care. The tools and advice made available through IHI under his leadership have been used by hospitals and health caregivers around the world, and as a result, have touched the lives of thousands of patients.  

As the changes made by health care reform are put in place, we look forward to working with Don and the administration to continue finding new ways that hospitals can improve care for the patients and communities they serve. 

About AHA

The AHA is a not-for-profit association of health care provider organizations and individuals that are committed to the improvement of health in their communities. The AHA is the national advocate for its members, which includes more than 5,000 member hospitals, health systems and other health care organizations, and 38,000 individual members. Founded in 1898, the AHA provides education for health care leaders and is a source of information on health care issues and trends.