Conway named deputy administrator at CMS

Dr. Patrick Conway, the CMS' chief medical officer and director of the agency's Center for Clinical Standards and Quality, has been named deputy administrator for innovation and quality at the CMS.

Conway will retain his current roles and will also assume the role of director of the CMS Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation, according to a message sent to colleagues from CMS Administrator Marilyn Tavenner. He has served as acting director since June, when former director Dr. Richard Gilfillan left the position.

In her letter, Tavenner said Conway joined the CMS in May 2011 as director of the CCSQ and has made a “positive impact” on the agency's quality programs. She also said he has been “a strong and effective leader” for the CCSQ and the Innovation Center and is well-positioned to lead both centers.

“CMMI has launched numerous models that have already generated early promising results,” Tavenner wrote. “We now move to the evaluation stage where we determine which models are successful and ready to be scaled, and which will continue under development in order to round out the CMMI portfolio,” she added.

“Innovation and delivery system transformation have become essential goals for our agency and need to be embedded as part of our culture throughout CMS, and I am confident in Patrick's ability to lead that effort as well as our many quality improvement initiatives.”

Supporting Conway in his dual positions, Wes Perich will continue as the deputy director of CCSQ and Sean Cavanaugh as deputy director of CMMI, according to Tavenner's memo.

Follow Jessica Zigmond on Twitter: @MHjzigmond