About the Partnership for Healthcare Excellence

James Conway

Chairman of the Board

Mr. Conway brings a wide range of knowledge to his position at the Partnership READ MORE

The Partnership for Healthcare Excellence is an exciting new effort dedicated to helping Massachusetts consumers improve the quality of their health care. 

The Partnership believes that having patients who are educated, active and engaged is one of the best ways to improve the safety, quality and effectiveness of health care for everyone. 

The need for the Partnership is clear. The Institute of Medicine has reported that "serious and widespread quality problems exist throughout American medicine." According to the same group, some 1.5 million Americans are injured by medication errors every year. And a survey conducted by the Partnership showed that nearly one in five adults in Massachusetts has experienced a medical error, while 52 percent know someone who has.

Research further shows that consumers are eager for information to help them make more informed health care decisions.  However, the majority report that they are unaware of where to find this information. Toward this end, the Partnership is working to provide consumers with the tools and resources they need to help improve the quality of their health care.

While many organizations are working at the system level to improve health care quality, the Partnership is uniquely focused on empowering patients and their caregivers so they can play a greater role in improving quality of care.  The goals of the Partnership are threefold:

• To educate the public about the variations in health care quality;
• To provide consumers with the information and tools they need to improve the quality of their own care; and
• To encourage consumers to become advocates for the overall change necessary to improve the safety and effectiveness of the health care system.

The Board of Directors of the Partnership includes distinguished leaders from the medical, advocacy, public health and business communities. 

The Partnership’s Leadership Council draws on the knowledge and talents of individuals and organizations from all corners of the health care community including physician leaders, nurses, hospitals, public health and patient advocates, providers, insurers, business leaders, as well as representatives from civic and community organizations.   

Martha Hayward is the Executive Director of the Partnership.  She has a career of over 20 years in marketing and fundraising in the areas of health, politics and education.

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