Lee Fleisher, MD, has been appointed to serve as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Center for Clinical Standards & Quality (CCSQ). CCSQ serves as the focal point for all quality, clinical, medical science issues, survey and certification, and policies for CMS programs.
Dr. Fleisher leads ASA’s Perioperative Brain Health Initiative, a campaign focused on providing patients information about the risks of delirium and cognitive dysfunction after surgery. He has also served in several other leadership roles as a member of various ASA committees, including but not limited to the Committee on Health and Public Policy and Committee on Standards and Practice Parameters.
He is the Robert D. Dripps Professor and Chair of Anesthesiology and Critical Care and Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Throughout his career, Dr. Fleisher has guided efforts on quality of care measures, coverage decisions, and evidence-based medicine. He has previous experience working with CMS, having advised on technical expert panels since 2003. Dr. Fleisher will continue some professional and clinical activities, while working with CMS, including retaining faculty appointment with the University of Pennsylvania.
ASA knows Dr. Fleisher will provide valuable service to CMS and we congratulate him on the excellent accomplishment.