February 1, 2011

Additional Update: Positioning JHM for the Future

Dear Colleagues,

Last Wednesday we relayed details about how we plan to position Johns Hopkins Medicine for the future by implementing some organizational changes. We outlined the need to increase our focus and organization around health care reform transformation, cost effectiveness and long-range strategic planning while assuring a continued emphasis on each component of our tripartite mission. We are happy to announce that John Colmers will join us as the new Johns Hopkins Medicine vice president for health care transformation and strategic planning.

Many of you may know John from his work over the past four years as Maryland's Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene or from his prior position with the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC). John will report to Ron Peterson in his capacity as executive vice president of Johns Hopkins Medicine. Early on, it is anticipated that John will work with Patty Brown and Bill Baumgartner, co-directors of our Health Care Reform Committee, to document a strategic roadmap driven by the work of that committee. He will then begin to work with a broader group to execute changes necessary to successfully navigate the challenging waters of health care delivery and payment reform.

John's cumulative set of experiences as executive director of HSCRC, executive director of the Health Care Access and Cost Commission, senior program director of the Milbank Memorial Fund and secretary of Maryland's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene will make him an invaluable addition to our executive team. As he joins our organization, he continues to serve on The Commonwealth Fund's Commission on a High Performance Health System and on the board of directors of Academy Health, where he is the immediate past chair of this professional society for health services researchers and health policy analysts. John's prior positions and career have helped him gain appreciation for a health care system built around discovery and knowledge transfer.

John's affiliation with Hopkins dates back to 1975, when he received his B.A in Political Science & Psychology here. His expertise will serve as a critical asset to Hopkins as we look at how to transform our system to meet the needs of the changing regulatory and payment environments.

Please share this information with your team members and join us as we welcome him to the Johns Hopkins Medicine family.

Edward D. Miller, M.D.
Dean of the Medical Faculty
CEO, Johns Hopkins Medicine

Ronald R. Peterson
President
The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System
EVP, Johns Hopkins Medicine