John Eisenberg, Director of HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Dies

Dr. John Eisenberg, director of HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, died on March 10 at his home in Potomac, Md., after a year-long illness caused by a brain tumor, the Washington Post reports. Eisenberg, 55, became AHRQ's director in 1997 and during his tenure helped coordinate and lead the government's efforts to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety. AHRQ is tasked with conducting research that will "enhance the effectiveness of health services and contain costs while improving access to health care" (Washington Post, 3/11). In a written statement, HHS Secretary Tommy Thompson said, "This is John's legacy: Ensuring that health care is built on a strong foundation of scientific evidence that is translated into the improved health of the American people" (HHS release, 3/10). Prior to joining AHRQ, Eisenberg served for five years as chair of the department of medicine and physician-in-chief at Georgetown University. Eisenberg was a founding commissioner and past chair of the Congressional Physician Payment Review Commission and was elected to the Institute of Medicine (Washington Post, 3/11).