Featured Research :: Institute for Health Policy

The Mongan Institute for Health Policy mourns the loss of James J. Mongan, MD, who died from cancer on May 3, 2011. The Institute was honored to be named after Dr. Mongan, a visionary health care leader, in December 2009, as he stepped down from his role as president and CEO of Partners HealthCare. Throughout his long and influential career, Dr. Mongan has been at the forefront of health policy debates at the national level. Locally, he played a critical role in formulating the structure of the 2006 Massachusetts health care reform, which now serves as a model for national reform. In addition to his substantial policy contributions, Dr. Mongan worked in the trenches for decades, leading organizations that provided care to many thousands of persons. He spent 15 years in Kansas City, MO, as executive director of the Truman Medical Center and dean of the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine. He was president of the MGH from 1996 through 2002 before assuming leadership of Partners.

David Blumenthal, MD, MPP, founding director of the MIHP, first met Dr. Mongan in Washington, DC, as both were beginning their careers in health policy. “When I met Jim in the late 1970s, he was the same extraordinarily effective, principled, committed, humble and generous person that he remained throughout his career. Whether working on Capitol Hill, the White House, Truman Medical Center, MGH or Partners, he was a man of sharp intellect, great management ability, and enormous humility. He lived a wonderful, full life, made the lives of millions of people better and left behind many friends and admirers.”

MIHP faculty and staff shall strive to continue Dr. Mongan’s tremendous legacy of not only excellence, safety, and efficiency in health care, but also ensuring that all individuals throughout society have access to affordable health care that meets their needs. “We shall greatly miss Jim’s wise counsel, gentle demeanor and dry wit, and generous support,” says Lisa I. Iezzoni, MD, MSc, MIHP’s current director. “Especially given all the health care challenges our nation is facing today, Dr. Mongan was taken from the health policy stage much too soon.”