Stephanie Rawlings-Blake appoints GWU professor, patient advocate to lead health department

Enlarge Photo

Leana S. Wen

Dr. Leana S. Wen is Baltimore's new health commissioner.

15 photos

Home of the Day

Sponsor Listing

Sarah Gantz

Reporter- Baltimore Business Journal

Email  |  Twitter

Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake on Friday appointed a George Washington University professor and patient advocate as commissioner of Baltimore's health department.

Dr. Leana S. Wen takes on her role as city health commissioner Jan. 15. Wen succeeds Dr. Oxiris Barbot, who in April stepped down to pursue a job in New York City. Dr. Jacquelyn Duval-Harvey, who has served as interim commission since May, will return to her position as deputy commissioner for health promotion and disease prevention.

Wen most recently worked as an attending physician and director of patient-centered care research for the Department of Emergency Medicine at George Washington University. Wen was also an assistant professor of emergency medicine at the university's School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

Wen's projects outside the university focus on helping patients overcome barriers to care and addressing public health challenges. She is a founding director of the campaign "Who's My Doctor?," which aims to improve health care transparency by calling on doctors to disclose financial ties to pharmaceutical and medical device companies. Her book "When Doctors Don't Listen: How to Avoid Misdiagnoses and Unnecessary Tests" explores the patient-doctor relationship and offer advice to help patients get the most out of their appointments. Wen has also done research work with public health and emergency systems in developing countries.

"Dr. Wen's tenacious passion for creating safer, more transparent health systems is exactly the kind of leadership I want guiding the Baltimore City Health Department," Rawlings-Blake said in a statement.

Sarah covers health care, higher education, biotech and technology.