January 23, 2004

Thomas H. Lee, MD (left), last week was named as network president for Partners and CEO for Partners Community HealthCare, Inc. (PCHI), making permanent the roles he has held on an interim basis for the past month. He succeeds Ellen Zane, who stepped down from the position in 2003.

As chief medical officer of PCHI, Lee has played a major role in the growth and development of the network of physicians that comprise PCHI. He has been a key participant in all negotiations with payers since PCHI was formed.

Lee also will continue to serve as director of Partners Signature Initiatives, launched last year to guide Partners toward improving the quality and efficiency of care provided. He has been the prime mover behind many of the efforts that form the foundation of the program, which is based on five systemwide goals for clinical performance to distinguish Partners from other health care providers.

"Tom combines a unique ability to develop truly innovative approaches to improving care with a real skill at effectively implementing them," says James. J. Mongan, MD, president and CEO of Partners. "His vision, creativity and tenacity in bringing together clinicians from throughout Partners to move us forward as a system prompted me to ask him to direct our Signature Initiatives and again prompted me to ask him to take on this new role. Tom is a leader in every sense of the word."

An internist and cardiologist, Lee is an associate editor of The New England Journal of Medicine and editor-in-chief of The Harvard Heart Letter. He also serves on the boards of the Massachusetts Health Quality Partnership and Bridges to Excellence, a national partnership he helped design to improve health care quality.

"Tom Lee is a great choice for this position," says David Torchiana, MD, chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization. "He is trusted and respected by doctors throughout the organization and is full of energy and good humor. The network has been a critical part of our success over the last decade, and Tom will do a great job in the next phase.