Announcing Transition Leadership of Georgetown University Medical Center
May 29, 2015
Dear Members of the Georgetown University Community:
It’s my pleasure to share the news that Dr. Edward B. Healton, Chair of the Department of Neurology, will serve as our Executive Vice President of the Georgetown University Medical Center effective July 1st, 2015, as we strengthen our position for future growth and establish a strong foundation for the recruitment of future leadership.
I have asked Dr. Healton to serve in this role for two years. As I shared with our community at the recent Town Hall meeting, I believe there is important work in which we need to be engaged over the coming year in order to position us for the recruitment of the next Executive Vice President of Georgetown University Medical Center. It is my expectation that we will begin this search in the 2016-17 academic year.
Dr. Healton is a trusted member of our community and I am confident in his abilities to work closely with our leadership to lead the Medical Center through this time of transition. In his 14 years as a member of our community, he has proven himself a principled and effective executive, embodying the necessary strengths for leadership in academic medicine. He has served as Chair of the Department of Neurology for a decade and as Professor of Neurology and Rehabilitation Medicine since 2002 at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Dr. Healton has also held leadership roles at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (MedStar NRH), including as Senior Vice President for Medical Affairs and Medical Director from 2002 to 2011, and as Director of the MedStar NRH Research Center from 2001 to 2012.
Prior to joining Georgetown and MedStar in 2000, he had 32 years of clinical, academic and administrative management experience at Harlem Hospital Center and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he is Professor Emeritus of Clinical Neurology and served as Senior Associate Dean and Assistant Vice President.
He has been a dedicated researcher, serving as Principal Investigator on numerous studies and publishing widely. He also led the growth of the research programs at both the MedStar NRH and the Department of Neurology at the Georgetown University School of Medicine and MedStar Georgetown University Hospital.
Dr. Healton will work closely with our leadership to address key issues characterizing this moment for the Medical Center, many of which we discussed at our Town Hall on April 7th. These include those defining the broader landscape of academic medicine—from the changing dynamics of health care to declining federal support for research—as well as developing frameworks for improved integration and execution of our academic, research, and clinical missions. Much of the work in the next two years will entail discerning opportunities for the Medical Center to strategically strengthen its position for future growth.
I wish to thank everyone in our community for your input during this time of transition.
I am grateful for your commitment to the University and to the future of the Georgetown University Medical Center. I look forward to our work together in the time ahead.
Please join me in welcoming Dr. Healton into his new role.
You have my very best wishes.
Sincerely,
John J. DeGioia