Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick officially swore in John W. Polanowicz '84 as Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services (HHS) on January 22.
"John is an incredible talent and I am pleased to bring him into our administration at this critical time," said Governor Patrick. "John will use his expertise as a health care leader to help Massachusetts increase our already nation-leading access to care, while also tackling the issue of costs. John's compassion and thoughtfulness will make him a strong advocate for our veterans, families, and individuals with disabilities across the commonwealth."
Prior to his appointment, Secretary Polanowicz served as president of St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Brighton since 2011, overseeing the largest hospital in the Steward Health Care System. He brings expertise working in a cutting-edge community health care system, serving tens of thousands of patients and families. He was also instrumental in positioning Steward as an accountable care organization to increase access and decrease cost for patients.
"I am deeply honored to serve Governor Patrick in this capacity," said Secretary Polanowicz. "I welcome the challenges ahead as we work to implement the Governor's health care reform law, enhance our public health oversight, and strengthen our safety net programs to help our most vulnerable populations."