Dr. Lee A. Fleisher appointed as Chief Medical Officer and Director of CCSQ

Lee A. Fleisher, MD, an IARS member, was recently appointed as Chief Medical Officer and Director of The Center for Clinical Standards and Quality at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), a part of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Dr. Fleisher is currently the Robert Dunning Dripps Professor of Anesthesia at the University of Pennsylvania Health System as well as Chair of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care until assuming this position; he will take over the role from Jean Moody-Williams, who will remain as CMS deputy director. He brings an abundance of experience as a practicing anesthesiologist, academic and leader in the field of medicine. Dr. Fleisher has an extensive background in health policy as well as experience defining Quality of Care metrics. In this new role, Dr. Fleisher will help to ensure the safety and security of America’s nursing homes, improving quality and safety in the nation’s healthcare facilities, and reducing burdensome regulations to give providers more time to care for their patients.

Throughout his career, Dr. Fleisher has conducted important research focused on perioperative cardiovascular risk assessment and reduction, evidence-based medicine and measurement of quality of care. Over the past decade, he has also collaborated on many projects related to health services research and quality measurement in the Medicare population.

In 2007, the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, recognized Dr. Fleisher for his professional accomplishments and service to the field of medicine and health care, and elected him to its esteemed membership of top individuals. Since then, Dr. Fleisher has continued providing leadership to the field through his highly recognized work with federal, industry and foundation grants. He has also published over 300 articles, chapters and books.

A former CFAS Administrative Board member and Past President of the Association of University Anesthesiologists, he has served on many technical expert panels for CMS and Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation. He is also a member of the Medical Advisory Panel of the Technology Evaluation Center of the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Association. He is currently on the Board of Directors and former Chair of the Consensus Standards Advisory Committee and co-chair of the Surgery Standing Committee of the National Quality Forum, and a member of the Administrative Board of the Council of Faculty and Academic Specialties of the Association of American Medical Colleges.

Dr. Fleisher is not leaving the field of anesthesiology all together, he will continue some professional and clinical activities, including retaining faculty appointment with the University of Pennsylvania and serving on a few select medical committees.