Jeffrey Otten announced in early November that he would be stepping down from his position as the hospital’s president. “Making the decision to leave Brigham and Women’s was obviously difficult,” said Otten. “The hospital is blessed with a clinical staff that is second to none; groundbreaking medical research; and a Board, management and donor community that are deeply committed to the hospital’s mission and legacy of excellence.”
Otten began his tenure at BWH in 1993 – a term of office more than double the national average. Long regarded as one of the top health care managers in the nation, Otten served as Chief Financial Officer of the UCLA Medical Center for a decade and as Chief Operating Officer of the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania from 1991 to 1993. “We are extremely fortunate that we have had the tremendous benefit of Jeff’s leadership,” said BWH Chairman, Michael A. Bell, who will lead the search for Otten’s successor. “The hospital has flourished under Jeff - he has steered us on a course that has solidified the hospital’s place among the very best in the country.”
Otten has served as Chairman of the University Healthcare Consortium and the Massachusetts Hospital Association. He has been on the board of directors of the Council of Teaching Hospitals and the Association of Academic Medical Centers. Most recently, Otten was elected to the Society of Health Service Administrators.
Partners HealthCare President and CEO Samuel O. Thier, MD, echoed Bell in praising Otten’s record at BWH, saying, “Jeff’s shoes will be very tough to fill. His entire tenure has coincided with a decade that has been marked by turbulence and extreme challenges for health care providers. Thanks to Jeff, Brigham and Women’s has not just weathered this storm, but emerged better, stronger and more committed than ever to its critical missions.”