The Commonwealth Fund has selected Joseph Betancourt, MD, senior vice president for equity and community health at Boston-based Massachusetts General Hospital, to serve as its eighth president.
Dr. Betancourt is known for his leadership work in advancing health equity and reducing disparities. As the former vice president and chief equity and inclusion officer at MGH, he founded and directed its disparities solutions center, which included a program that worked with 350 U.S. health systems to provide guidance on improving care for diverse and vulnerable populations.
"I cannot think of anyone better than Joe Betancourt to lead the Commonwealth Fund into the future," Michael Drake, MD, president of the University of California and chair of the Commonwealth Fund Board of Directors, said in a Dec. 12 news release. "His breadth of experience as a physician, health system leader, and pioneer in disparities research, gives him a keen insight and a diverse toolkit for addressing the challenges U.S. healthcare will face in the coming years."
Dr. Betancourt will succeed the Commonwealth Fund's current president, David Blumenthal, MD, on Jan. 17.