In This Section
- Overview
- Board of Directors
- Staff
- Leadership Council
- Partnership FAQs
Leadership Council
The Partnership’s Leadership Council draws on the knowledge and talents of individuals and organizations from all corners of the health care community including physicians, nurses, public health and patient advocates, hospital leaders, insurers, business leaders, as well as representatives from civic and community organizations.Bringing a diverse set of experience and skills, the Leadership Council is helping the Partnership achieve its unique mission of educating and motivating consumers about the quality of their health care.
Here is a brief description of the members of the Partnership’s Leadership Council:
AARP
With over 39 million members, AARP is the leading nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people age 50 and over in the United States. AARP is dedicated to enhancing quality of life, by leading positive social change and delivering value to members, and AARP Massachusetts is working to fulfill that mission for its more than 850,000 members in the Commonwealth. Ensuring access to the right care at the right time—and at the right price—is a priority for AARP Massachusetts.
www.aarp.org/ma
American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide community-based voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer through research, education, advocacy and service. ACS New England is one of 13 divisions of the nationwide organization and is particularly robust in its programs, services and community referrals to improve the quality of life for individuals and caregivers dealing with cancer along the continuum.
www.cancer.org
American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading nonprofit health organization providing diabetes research, information and advocacy. The association and its state affiliates fund and conduct research, publish scientific findings, and provide information and other services to people with diabetes, their families, health professionals and the public. The Massachusetts affiliate is an active partner in the national organization’s efforts to educate both consumers and providers on effective prevention and treatment practices and plays a critical role in assuring access to effective and affordable health care in Massachusetts. (1*800*diabetes; 1-800-342-2383)
www.diabetes.org
American Heart/
American Stroke Association
The American Heart/American Stroke Association is a nonprofit national voluntary health agency working to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular diseases and stroke, and seeking to provide credible heart disease and stroke information for effective prevention and treatment. The Massachusetts affiliate has been particularly active in the area of health disparities, through its Greater Boston Cultural Health Initiatives, which aim to reduce disparities in cardiovascular and stroke care for minority populations and the medically underserved.
www.americanheart.org
Associated Industries of Massachusetts
Associated Industries of Massachusetts (A.I.M.) is the largest nonprofit, nonpartisan association of Massachusetts employers. A.I.M. promotes the well-being of its members and their employees and the prosperity of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, by proactively advocating fair and equitable public policy, including those policies related to health care. A.I.M. has played a significant role in helping consumers and employers understand the new Massachusetts health care reform law, most notably by publishing an online Health Care Reform Reference Guide, which helps employers comply with the law.
www.aimnet.org
Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety
The Betsy Lehman Center for Patient Safety and Medical Error Reduction serves as a clearinghouse for the development, evaluation, and dissemination of best practices for patient safety and reducing medical errors. The Center was established by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in response to the landmark 1999 Institute of Medicine report To Err is Human. Specifically, the Center promotes collaborative relationships between all Massachusetts health care stakeholders, including consumers, providers, regulatory agencies, patient safety organizations, and federal and state policymakers, to achieve maximum patient safety. The center is named for Betsy Lehman, a Boston Globe newspaper reporter who died in 1994 as the result of a chemotherapy overdose.
www.mass.gov/dph/betsylehman
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts (BCBSMA), the state’s largest health insurer, is committed to improving the health and wellness of its more than three million members, by empowering consumers to take active roles in the delivery of their health care. To that end, BCBSMA also enables providers and medical facilities to provide the highest quality, most effective and affordable care—to the greatest number of people—possible. BCBSMA has played a crucial role in enacting the Commonwealth’s groundbreaking health reform legislation, and provided the critical funding for the Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative, a public/private partnership committed to designing a statewide Electronic Medical Records system.
www.bluecrossma.com
BMC HealthNet Plan
Boston Medical Center (BMC) HealthNet Plan is a non-profit managed care organization providing coverage to MassHealth (Medicaid) and Commonwealth Care members. Founded in 1997 by Boston Medical Center, the Plan contracts with providers and hospital systems throughout Massachusetts to deliver care to over 240,000 members. Based in Boston, BMC HealthNet Plan also has offices in Springfield, New Bedford and Pittsfield.
www.bmchp.org
Boston Public Health Commission
The Boston Public Health Commission is a political subdivision of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, created in 1995 to protect, promote and preserve the health and well-being of all Boston residents, particularly the most vulnerable. The Commission seeks to fulfill its mission through a wide range of health initiatives that target preventable disease and injury. The Commission's research arm serves as the state's most extensive data resource on a variety of health topics and also publishes annually a report called the "Health of Boston." The Commission acts as the board of health for the city of Boston.
www.bphc.org
Commonwealth Medicine
Commonwealth Medicine is the public, non-profit consulting organization founded by the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Government agencies and non-profit and managed care organizations benefit from Commonwealth Medicine's expertise in clinical service delivery, health care financing strategies, clinical policy management and quality improvement. As a key participant at the intersection of health law and health policy in the state of Massachusetts, Commonwealth Medicine continues to be instrumental in the state's ability to lead the way on health care reform while shaping the debate nationally.
www.umassmed.edu/commed/index.aspx
Disability Policy Consortium
The Disability Policy Consortium, Inc. (DPC) is an organization of volunteer disability rights activists who share the goal of equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities. The DPC’s mission is to promote inclusion, independence, and empowerment by guiding statewide development of policies that ensure that programs and services enable people to participate in the political, economic, and social mainstream. The DPC is particularly active in its efforts to advocate for access to quality health care services on behalf of its members.
www.dpcma.org
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East
1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East represents healthcare workers working in homecare, hospital and nursing home industries, as well as pharmacies, freestanding clinics and other healthcare settings. The mission of 1199SEIU is to improve and expand quality patient care, to protect and improve the lives of its members and their families, and to work in solidarity with working people in its communities and around the world.
www.1199seiu.org
Fallon Community Health Plan
Fallon Community Health Plan (FCHP) is a nationally recognized health care services company that offers innovative health insurance solutions and services for our changing society. Consistently ranked as one of the nation's top health plans, FCHP also maintains an "Excellent" accreditation rating from the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA). Additionally, FCHP is one of only six health plans in America to hold an "Excellent" rating from the NCQA for all three of its insurance products: Commercial HMO, Medicare Advantage and Medicaid. Through its Community Benefits Program, FCHP supports other organizations that also are focused on finding innovative solutions that result in positive health outcomes and improve access to health care services.
www.fchp.org
Federation of Children with Special Needs
The Federation for Children with Special Needs is a non-profit, parent-run center that advocates for access to quality health care and education for all children, especially children with special needs and/or disabilities. The Federation encourages and mentors parents to take an active role in all health and educational service systems by providing individual technical assistance to parents, trainings, conferences, resource materials, and a quarterly newsletter. Learn more about the Federation's federally funded special health care needs and education projects by calling 617-236-7210 (toll-free at 1-800-331-0688).
www.fcsn.org
Great Brook Valley Health Center
Great Brook Valley Health Center (GBVHC) was founded in 1972 to provide access to quality care for low income residents of Central Massachusetts. The GBVHC is a comprehensive community health center with special emphasis on language and culture appropriate care. It develops innovative programs to meet the health care needs of existing and emerging immigrant and minority communities. Its integrated model of care includes medical, dental, mental health, pharmacy, case management, health education, social services and a variety of specialty services.
Worcester Location: (508) 852-1805
Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce represents more than 1,700 businesses of all sizes from virtually every industry and profession in Massachusetts. At a time when health care costs continue to rise, the Chamber has brought attention to the need for health care reform in Massachusetts. The Chamber is addressing health care cost and access issues, by aiding in the implementation of the new health care reform law and building support for additional cost-control innovations. The Chamber also advocates for access to high-quality, affordable health care that meets the needs of all citizens and that does not impede employers' ability to create jobs.
www.bostonchamber.com
Group Insurance Commission
The Group Insurance Commission (GIC) was established by the Massachusetts Legislature in 1955 to provide and administer health insurance and other benefits to the Commonwealth's employees and retirees, and their dependents and survivors. The GIC also covers housing and redevelopment authorities' personnel, certain towns and municipalities, retired municipal employees and teachers in certain governmental units. Committed to accessing high-quality, affordable health care for its members, the Group Insurance Commission plays an active role in reforming health care in Massachusetts and influencing health care policy nationally.
www.mass.gov/gic
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is a full-service health benefits company serving more than one million members in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine. The National Committee for Quality Assurance has named Harvard Pilgrim the “Number One Health Plan in America.” A leader in the national movement for more transparency in health care, Harvard Pilgrim has built online comparative tools that help consumers choose providers and medical facilities based on measures of quality. Since 1980, the Harvard Pilgrim Foundation has been providing financial support for community health programs and conducting teaching programs and research on topics such as women's health, asthma control, mental health care, medical ethics and enhancing access to care.
www.harvardpilgrim.org
Harvard School of Public Health
The Harvard School of Public Health is dedicated to advancing the public's health through learning, discovery and communication. More than 300 faculty members are engaged in teaching and training the 900-plus student body in a broad spectrum of disciplines crucial to the health and well-being of individuals and populations around the world. Programs and projects range from quality of care measurements to maternal and children's health. The Harvard School of Public Health plays a critical role in Massachusetts, by empowering health care stakeholders with the research they need to deliver quality care.
www.hsph.harvard.edu
Health Care For All
Health Care For All (HCFA) seeks to create a consumer-centered health care system that provides comprehensive, affordable, accessible, culturally competent, high quality care and consumer education for everyone, especially the most vulnerable. To accomplish this, HCFA is building a movement of empowered people and organizations with the goal of creating a responsive health care system. The organization has created a number of dynamic grassroots campaigns all geared at empowering consumers to take action, where their health is concerned. These campaigns have included programs to build consumer awareness on oral health, pediatrics, and racial and ethnic disparities.
www.hcfama.org
Institute for Health Care Improvement
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is an independent not-for-profit organization helping to lead the improvement of health care throughout the world. Founded in 1991 and based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, IHI works to accelerate improvement by building the will for change, cultivating promising concepts for improving patient care, and putting those ideas into action. Its groundbreaking “100,000 Lives Campaign” brought attention to the need to enhance patient safety measures in hospitals nationwide, and IHI is leveraging the success of that program into a much larger patient safety initiative.
www.ihi.org
Latin American Health Institute
The Latin American Health Institute (LHI) is a leading community-based public health organization, serving more than 25,000 Latin American families and individuals in Massachusetts each year through more than 24 direct-care programs. The core of LHI's activities focuses on addressing specific health concerns as well as strengthening families and developing community resources. LHI also serves health care professionals, para-professionals and institutions through education and training activities, technical assistance, fiscal sponsorship and program oversight.
www.lhi.org
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
The Massachusetts chapter of the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations is the voluntary federation of unions in Massachusetts, representing 400,000 working women and men from across the Commonwealth and over 700 local unions from all sectors of the economy. Its mission is to bring social and economic justice to our state by enabling working people to have a voice on their job, in government, in a changing global economy and in their communities. The Massachusetts AFL-CIO is the voice of working families, promotes the interests of workers in the Commonwealth, and health care is a primary area of focus.
www.massaflcio.org
Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers
The Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers (MACHW) is a statewide network of community health workers from all disciplines working to lead the movement to organize, define and strengthen the profession of community health work. In association with the Massachusetts Public Health Association, MACHW works to foster leadership among community health workers and promote the integration of community health workers into the health care, public health and human service workforce. MACHW seeks to achieve its mission through education, research, policy development and advocacy.
www.mphaweb.org
Massachusetts Association of Health Plans
The Massachusetts Association of Health Plans (MAHP) represents 11 health plans providing health care coverage for more than 2.3 million Massachusetts residents. MAHP is committed to addressing the issues of care, cost and coverage through advocacy, education and health policy research. MAHP member plans have been rated among the best in the country, and serve a range of groups including Medicare beneficiaries, Medicaid recipients, participants in employer-sponsored plans and individuals purchasing nongroup coverage. MAHP is also supported by other organizations involved with the health care system in Massachusetts, including pharmaceutical companies, PBMs, legal and consulting firms, insurance providers and specialty health plans.
www.mahp.com
Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses
The Massachusetts Association of Registered Nurses (MARN), the state affiliate of the American Nurses Association, is dedicated to advancing the profession of nursing in Massachusetts through advocacy, leadership development, education and mentorship. The organization promotes the belief that greater achievement occurs in an environment that embraces mutual respect of diverse perspectives, a spirit of collegiality, and the advocacy role of the nurse to individually and collectively shape quality health care.
www.marnonline.org
Massachusetts Business Roundtable
The Massachusetts Business Roundtable is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, statewide public affairs organization of chief executive officers representing Massachusetts' leading industry and business enterprises. The Roundtable's mission is to apply the knowledge, leadership and insight of its membership toward complex state policy issues. In the area of health care, the Roundtable has been a credible voice on the need to expand access to coverage to more people, and to improve the affordability and quality of care being delivered in Massachusetts today. Recently, the Roundtable has called for increased transparency in health care, with the objective of improving the overall value of health care in Massachusetts.
www.maroundtable.com
Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors
The Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors is a public-private partnership whose mission is to improve patient safety and eliminate medical errors in Massachusetts. The Coalition's membership includes consumer organizations, state agencies, hospitals, professional associations for physicians, nurses and pharmacists, long-term care providers, as well as health plans, employers, policymakers and researchers. Specific initiatives underway are directed toward reducing hospital-acquired infections, and improving medication safety across all care settings, with a special focus on patients using blood thinners.
www.macoalition.org
Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals
The Massachusetts Council of Community Hospitals is a nonprofit organization formed to advocate for the Commonwealth's community hospitals. The organization, which represents about half of all community hospitals in Massachusetts, is committed to improving overall patient care and mitigating the rising cost of health care. The hospitals that the Council represents play a vital role in providing convenient, high-quality health care at a reasonable cost.
www.mcchweb.org
Massachusetts Department of Public Health
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is dedicated to serving all 6.5 million residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, particularly the under-served, and to promoting healthy people, healthy families, healthy communities and healthy environments through compassionate care, education and prevention.
www.mass.gov/dph
Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative
The Massachusetts eHealth Collaborative was formed in 2004 by the Commonwealth's physician community to bring together the state's major health care stakeholders to establish an electronic health record system that would enhance the quality, efficiency and safety of care in Massachusetts. By pooling the resources, talent, and experience of its 34 member organizations and participating pilot communities, the Collaborative hopes to achieve a major leap forward in realizing its visions of better care for the citizens of the Commonwealth.
www.maehc.org
Massachusetts Extended Care Federation
Massachusetts Extended Care Federation (MECF) is a membership-based organization representing over 500 Massachusetts nursing and residential care facilities, hospital-based transitional care units, assisted living residences and continuing care retirement communities. MECF ensures that its member facilities put into practice the most effective and evidence-based principles of care to promote healthy outcomes. MECF is committed to providing Massachusetts’ most vulnerable citizens with high-quality care in the most appropriate settings.
www.mecf.org
Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council
The Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council (the Council) was created as part of the Commonwealth’s landmark health insurance reform law passed in 2006. The mandate of the Council is to: establish statewide goals for improving health care quality, containing health care costs, and reducing racial and ethnic disparities in health care; demonstrate progress toward achieving those goals; and to disseminate, through a consumer-friendly website and other media, comparative health care cost, quality, and related information for consumers, health care providers, health plans, employers, policy-makers, and the general public.
www.mass.gov/healthcare
Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
The Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) is a coalition of physicians, hospitals, health plans, purchasers, consumers and government agencies working together to promote improvement in the quality of health care services in Massachusetts. MHQP was established in 1995 by a group of Massachusetts health care leaders who identified the importance of valid, comparable measures to drive improvement. Today, MHQP provides reliable information to physicians to help them improve the quality of care they provide their patients. The group also provides trusted information for consumers on its website that compares the clinical performance of 150 Massachusetts medical groups. MHQP’s website also includes the results of a survey of patient experiences with primary care physicians for over 400 Massachusetts practice sites.
www.mhqp.org
Massachusetts Hospital Association
The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) is a voluntary, nonprofit organization comprised of hospitals and health systems, related organizations, and other members with a common interest in promoting the health of the people of the Commonwealth. Through leadership in public advocacy, education and information, MHA represents and advocates for the collective interests of its member hospitals and health systems, and supports efforts to provide high quality, cost effective and accessible care. The MHA together with the Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives pioneered a first-in-the-nation
quality and safety initiative – Patients First – where the public can learn about hospitals' performance on key measures that are affected by nursing care.
www.patientsfirstma.org
www.mhalink.org
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Established in 1972, the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers provides a wide range of assistance to community health centers and serves as an information source on community-based health care to policymakers, opinion leaders and the media. The statewide association represents and serves the needs of the state's 52 community health centers through grassroots advocacy; technical assistance with state and federal health regulatory and policy issues; training and education for administrators, clinicians and board members; help with information technology development; and work with local health and advocacy organizations seeking to open health centers in their communities.
www.massleague.org
Massachusetts Medical Society
With some 18,600 physicians and student members, the Massachusetts Medical Society (MMS) is dedicated to educating and advocating for the patients and physicians of Massachusetts. The Society publishes The New England Journal of Medicine, one of the world's leading medical journals; the Journal Watch family of professional newsletters covering 11 specialties; and AIDS Clinical Care. The Society is also a leader in continuing medical education for health care professionals throughout Massachusetts. Founded in 1781, MMS is the oldest continuously operating medical society in the country. The Society website offers helpful information on how to choose a doctor.
www.massmed.org
Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives
The Massachusetts Organization of Nurse Executives (MONE) represents over 650 nursing leaders from diverse practices across the Commonwealth, all of whom are committed to delivering quality patient care. MONE actively engages its membership in advocacy activities intended to help nurses throughout the Commonwealth provide optimal patient care.
www.massone.org
Massachusetts Public Health Association
The Massachusetts Public Health Association (MPHA) is a statewide membership organization working to protect the health and safety of all Commonwealth residents. Founded in 1879, it is the oldest public health organization in the nation, and a leading affiliate of the American Public Health Association. MPHA aspires toward a healthy Massachusetts by promoting laws, policies and programs that protect the health of its families, communities and workplaces. MPHA, which has offices in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, actively engages its members in advocacy efforts related to quality improvement, disease prevention, and expanded access.
www.mphaweb.org
Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation
The Massachusetts Taxpayers Foundation is a nationally recognized, independent, nonpartisan organization focusing on state spending, tax policies and the Massachusetts economy. Its mission is to provide accurate, unbiased research with balanced, thoughtful recommendations that strengthen the state's finances and economy in order to foster the long-term well-being of the Commonwealth. The Foundation has played an instrumental role in achieving major reforms and promoting sound public policy in state government, especially in the area of health care. The group provides critical insights as the cost of health care continues to rise in Massachusetts.
www.masstaxpayers.org
Masspro
Masspro is one of the leading performance improvement organizations in the United States dedicated to advancing health care quality. Founded by the Massachusetts Medical Society, Masspro is an independent, objective voice for improving patient care in Massachusetts. Masspro aims to transform health care by working directly with providers, through the development and dissemination of innovative solutions that enhance patient care by improving its safety, effectiveness and efficiency.
www.masspro.org
Medically Induced Trauma Support Services
Medically Induced Trauma Support Services (MITSS), Inc. is a Massachusetts non-profit organization founded in 2002 whose mission is "To Support Healing and Restore Hope" to patients, families, and clinicians affected by medical errors or adverse medical events. MITSS achieves its mission by promoting awareness and providing education about medically induced trauma and its devastating effects; offering emotional support services to patients, families, and clinicians who have been negatively impacted; and, advocating for disclosure, apology, and support following adverse events. MITSS encourages and consults with healthcare institutions in developing infrastructures for clinician peer support systems. MITSS also assists in developing a referral process to the MITSS program for patients and families.
www.mitss.org
Neighborhood Health Plan
Neighborhood Health Plan (NHP) is a nonprofit health maintenance organization serving Massachusetts Medicaid, commercial and Commonwealth Care members. NHP was founded in 1986 by the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers and the Greater Boston Forum for Health Action. It works in partnership with community health centers and other community-responsive providers to provide access to affordable, high-quality health care services for underserved populations.
www.nhp.org
New England Health Care Institute
The New England Healthcare Institute (NEHI) specializes in identifying innovative strategies for improving health care quality and reducing health care costs. Headquartered in Massachusetts, NEHI conducts independent, high-quality research that supports evidence-based health policy recommendations at the regional and national levels. NEHI collectively addresses critical health issues through its action-oriented research, education and policy initiatives. Members include representatives from academic health centers, as well as the biotechnology, employer, medical device, payer, pharmaceutical, provider and research communities.
www.nehi.net
New England SERVE/Mass Consortium for Children with Special Health Care Needs
New England SERVE is an independent health research and planning organization established in 1983 to promote family-centered care and family-provider partnerships at all levels of the health care system. Major SERVE programs are the Massachusetts Consortium for Children with Special Health Care Needs, a broad statewide coalition to improve systems of care for children with special health care needs and their families, and the Family-Professional Partners Institute, which helps health care organizations develop roles for consumers in shaping programs and policies.
www.neserve.org
www.neserve.org/maconsortium
The Arc of Massachusetts
The mission of The Arc of Massachusetts is to enhance the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families. Founded over 50 years ago, the Arc of Massachusetts represents the interests of over 120,000 children and adults by providing education and systems advocacy to consumers, families, human service organizations, legislators, other public officials, and the executive branch. www.arcmass.org.
www.arcmass.org
The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center
The Kenneth B. Schwartz Center is an autonomous, nonprofit organization with a mission to support and advance compassionate health care—enabling caregivers, patients and their families to relate to one another in a way that provides hope to the patient, support to caregivers and sustenance to the healing process. Center programs educate caregivers on how to better connect with their patients, and vice versa. Kenneth B. Schwartz established the Center in Boston shortly before his death from lung cancer in 1995.
www.theschwartzcenter.org
Tufts Health Plan
Tufts Health Plan is a Massachusetts-based health plan nationally recognized for its commitment to providing innovative, high-quality health care coverage. Tufts Health Plan’s mission is to set the standard for outstanding quality health care, service and value. The plan supports its members and employers with an array of physician- and clinician-led medical management programs. These programs use evidence-based medicine to design coverage that supports proven approaches to providing care and improving quality. Tufts Health Plan's HMO, POS and Medicare Advantage plans maintain “Excellent” accreditation status from the National Committee for Quality Assurance; in addition, the Tufts Health Plan HMO has been recognized as a Distinguished Health Plan by J.D. Power and Associates for providing "An Outstanding Member Experience."
www.tuftshealthplan.com