Who: Dr. James Weinstein, 66
Retiring as: President and CEO of Dartmouth-Hitchcock, New Hampshire's only academic medical center. He will step down in June.
Background: Weinstein, a spine surgeon, joined Dartmouth-Hitchcock in 1996 from University of Iowa Health Care, where he was a professor. He founded Dartmouth-Hitchcock's department of orthopedics and served as its chairman from 2003 to 2010. In 2007, he was named director of the Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice as well as president of the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Clinic. He was named system CEO in 2011. The institute was a pioneer in the the concept of accountable care.
Ensuring patients are informed: Throughout his career, Weinstein advocated for patients to have better control over their care options. He founded the Center for Shared Decision-Making in 1999 at Dartmouth-Hitchcock to encourage patients and their physicians to collaborate on healthcare decisions.
Uncertainty grips healthcare: “The biggest challenge is uncertainty,” Weinstein said. “As we move to the next administration, what will the payment system be?” He said it is imperative for the public to have transparent access to data on cost and outcomes so they can make informed decisions.
