July 18, 2003

First Haddad lecture

The first Ernest M. Haddad Lecture in Medical Ethics, "Crossing the Quality Chasm in Health Care," took place June 26 in the O'Keeffe Auditorium. More than 100 MGHers attended to hear speaker Harvey Fineberg, MD, PhD, president of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), discuss the IOM's recent publications focused on safety and quality. Fineberg described how institutions across the country are enhancing systems and processes that help ensure safe care.

The Ernest M. Haddad Lecture series was created by the MGH Office of the President in recognition of Haddad, (right) who served as the general counsel at the MGH and Partners HealthCare for 21 years. He now is at Boston University School of Law, where he served as a faculty member and dean from 1966 to 1971.

According to Christopher Clark of the Partners Office of the General Counsel, Haddad was instrumental in many key developments at the MGH during those years and created a full-service legal office that continues to provide legal support to the MGH and Partners. Haddad was particularly known for setting the highest standards of ethics and conduct, as evidenced by his leading role in developing a comprehensive code of conduct and conflict of interest policy for both the MGH and Partners. It was in recognition of this aspect of his work at the MGH that this lecture series was dedicated to him.