John Polanowicz joins the administration

Governor Deval Patrick has made an excellent choice in his new Secretary of Human Services, John Polanowicz, and the timing could not be more propitious.  I had the privilege to serve with John on the board of the state hospital association, where he also was a member of the Clinical Issues Advisory Council that I chaired.  At the time, he was CEO of Marlborough Hospital, where he had shepherded the institution through a financial turnaround.

More important than this accomplishment in my view was John's steadfast commitment to improving the quality and safety of patient care in his hospital and the state as a whole.  He was not content with the status quo and was a strong supporter of increased transparency of clinical outcomes--not to create competition among hospitals, but to assist all of them in raising the standard of care.

While many in the state fret about the cost of health care, John understands that a key component of that cost is the waste and inefficiency associated with the level of harm caused to patients in clinical settings.  It will be good to have a strong advocate for quality and safety improvement in the Executive Branch.