MOVE! Weight Management Program

Joseph Francis, MD, MPH Associate Director, Health Services Research and Development Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) Veterans Health Administration Department of Veterans Affairs Joseph Francis, MD, MPH has recently joined the Office of Research and Development to coordinate system-wide implementation of evidence-based practice through VA's Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI). Board-Certified in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Medical Management, Dr. Francis brings broad experience in clinical medicine, education, data analysis, and the management of complex health systems. After postdoctoral training in clinical epidemiology and health services research emphasizing complications of hospitalization among older patients, Dr Francis joined the VA in 1991 and assumed progressive clinical leadership responsibilities in geriatrics and extended care. In 1996, he was named Clinical Manager of VISN 9, where he provided oversight and management of clinical operations within the network including utilization management, clinical guideline implementation, outcomes tracking, medical education and research, continuous quality improvement, and risk management. He played a key role in the design of national policy initiatives including Performance Measurement, the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), the Quality Forum, and Patient Safety. Honors and awards include VA's National Patient Safety Award (2001), Special Contribution Award (2000), Senior Executive Performance Awards, and a group award for Outstanding Public Service from the Federal Executive Association. From 2000 until 2004, Dr. Francis served as Vice President for Data Management and Quality at St. Vincent Hospital in Indianapolis, a 750-bed tertiary care flagship facility of Ascension Health, the largest Catholic health system in the US. In that role, he implemented organizational safety, patient satisfaction, and performance improvement initiatives and spear-headed the Corporate Compliance and Research Compliance programs. In addition, he led city-wide efforts to prepare for bioterrorism and establish a smallpox response program for Indianapolis. Dr. Francis is delighted to be returning to service in the VA, which he believes is the ideal laboratory for implementation of research findings due to its commitment to clinical excellence and its unparalleled information infrastructure.