Dr. Don Berwick, the President and CEO of the Cambridge-based Institute for Healthcare Improvement  was nominated yesterday by President Obama to head up the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The position will require Senate confirmation, and while Dr. Berwick should be a shoe-in as someone who is well-respected and admired by those across the political spectrum, there is some concern that Senators who oppose health reform will use the hearings to further bash the new legislation. As mentioned in this earlier blog entry about his potential nomination, as head of CMS Dr. Berwick would oversee many of the changes to Medicaid and Medicare taking place under health reform. As a leader in the quality improvement field, and someone who has also spoken often about the need to improve quality while containing costs, he is an ideal candidate for this position. Read more in the Boston Globe .
 -Deborah W. Wachenheim