Announcing the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians

Dear Colleagues,

Throughout the past several months, I've communicated to you about the need for fundamental changes and restructuring to support the future positioning of Johns Hopkins Medicine. I've outlined the strategic necessity of creating our new community division to align our community hospitals, services and other affiliations. I've described our renewed emphasis on Johns Hopkins Medicine International and our strategic efforts to best meet the new health care reform mandates.

Now we need to look at the physician aspect of this strategic alignment. As you know, the Health System has been expanding through affiliations and integrations with community hospitals and physicians groups. During this period of rapid growth, we must meet the needs of all physicians who practice under our JHM umbrella and ensure that we are all working in concert to fulfill our tripartite mission. Our mission will always remain the foundation that keeps us strong. And to achieve this, we need a plan and mechanism for physician engagement within Johns Hopkins Medicine.

We're now doing exactly that. To align the needs and direction of physicians in the Health System with those of faculty clinicians in the School of Medicine, we're creating the Office of Johns Hopkins Physicians, headed by a senior vice president and a deputy. I'm very pleased that William Baumgartner, M.D., has agreed to take the position of Johns Hopkins Medicine senior vice president, and Steven Kravet, M.D., M.B.A., has accepted the role as deputy.

Both Bill and Steve are uniquely positioned to serve as the bridge between Health System physicians and our faculty to better serve the needs of our patients in a cost effective and efficient way, while continuing to improve outcomes and quality of care. Bill, as you know, is the vice dean for clinical affairs and president of the School of Medicine Clinical Practice Association. While he will continue to serve in these roles, he will use his experience and expertise to address the larger opportunities and challenges of our organization. Steve is the president of Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, our increasingly important, community primary care organization. While continuing in that role, Steve also will draw on his experience as a full-time faculty member to assist all of us as we bring balance and focus to this endeavor.

They will coordinate the activities not only of the Clinical Practice Association and Johns Hopkins Community Physicians, but also of all physicians now part of or joining Johns Hopkins Medicine, regardless of entity or location. They will assure that the necessary resources and coordination are in place to allow all physicians to support Johns Hopkins Medicine and its mission.

I've asked Bill and Steve to work closely with Brian Gragnolati, the Health System's new senior vice president for the Community Division, and each of the presidents and vice presidents for medical affairs at each of the Hopkins hospitals. They will also work in partnership with Johns Hopkins HealthCare, as we respond to health care reform and move forward with the development of the new Johns Hopkins health care delivery model.

These initiatives will help us as we continue our mission of providing superb patient care, conducting cutting-edge research, and educating future physicians and researchers. Thank you for your continued support as we lay the groundwork for a new Johns Hopkins Medicine with an innovative, integrated care delivery network.

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