DR. RICHARD LOPEZ APPOINTED TO BOARD OF MASSACHUSETTS COALITION FOR THE PREVENTION OF MEDICAL ERRORS

Newton, MA (October 1, 2010) - Atrius Health, an alliance of five community-based medical groups serving nearly 700,000 patients throughout eastern Massachusetts, is proud to announce that Dr. Richard Lopez, Chief Physician Executive, has been appointed to the board of directors of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors, a public-private partnership whose mission is to improve patient safety and eliminate medical errors throughout Massachusetts. Atrius Health has also joined the coalition as a member organization.

“Atrius Health is proud to be a member of the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors,” said Gene Lindsey, President and CEO of Atrius Health. “We share the common goal of preventing medical error and improving care and patient safety, and are delighted to offer the expertise of Dr. Lopez and others in our organization as the Coalition begins its focus on reducing errors in the ambulatory setting.”

A practicing internist for more than 27 years, Dr. Lopez has served a number of roles on behalf of both Atrius Health and Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates. As Chief Physician Executive for Atrius Health, Dr. Lopez works collaboratively with the Chief Medical Officers and Chief Executive Officers of the five Atrius Health medical groups across a wide range of clinical and quality initiatives. At Harvard Vanguard, he has served as vice president of clinical programs, deputy medical director, and internal medicine chief. He was instrumental in the successful roll-out of the electronic medical record across the practice, the development of a central outreach program for patients, and many other important clinical and medical management initiatives. For his many contributions to the practice, Dr. Lopez received the Harvard Vanguard Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

Dr. Lopez received his medical degree from Boston University School of Medicine, and completed his residency and internship at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital. He is a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School and is a member of the American College of Physicians, American College of Physician Executives and the Massachusetts Medical Society. He currently serves on the performance measurement expert panel of the Massachusetts Healthcare Quality and Cost Council and is an advisor to the Massachusetts Medical Society Committee on Quality of Medical Practice. Dr. Lopez is also on the Neighborhood Health Plan Patient Care Assessment Committee, the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Medical Staff Credentialing Committee, and the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Physician Advisory Committee.

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