Mayo president makes name for himself in health care debate
One man has become the face of Mayo Clinic's efforts to influence health care reform. That man is Dr. Denis Cortese.
Cortese, who serves as the clinic's president and CEO, has become a familiar face on Capitol Hill, meeting with top policymakers. He also has been busy making media rounds, sitting down in July with Charlie Rose. Washington Post columnist David Ignatius wrote that Cortese should be the "Gen. David Petraeus" of health care reform as "a professional who can break through the political chaff and describe a strategy for reform that can unite the country."
With Cortese's scheduled retirement in November, some are speculating on where he might land next. There's little question now just how effective Cortese has been at projecting Mayo Clinic's message that health care reform must including paying for value -- not quantity -- of care.
"(Cortese) brings a deep passion for getting this right and basing it on the right set of values, and I think the combination of Dr. Cortese's reputation, the record of Mayo for pioneering life-saving treatments and a set of really good ideas about how to do this has really gotten people's attention," said Josh Syramaki, chief of staff for 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz.
Read more: Post-Bulletin by Heather Carlson, 9/1/09
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