April 15, 2005

Lewandrowski named 2005 Bowditch Award winner

Kent Lewandrowski, MD, associate chief for Clinical Operations in Pathology, was named the recipient of the annual Nathaniel Bowditch Prize. The prize — an award certificate, a lapel pin and a check for $5,000 — was presented last week at a luncheon honoring the nominees.

"Each year it becomes more and more difficult to choose a winner from among the nominees," said Andrew L. Warshaw, MD, surgeon-in-chief, who chaired the Bowditch selection committee.

Lewandrowski was recognized for his leadership of the Clinical Process Improvement Team, through which he has helped identify and implement many innovations that have not only improved patient care across several areas of the hospital, but also have made that care more efficient and cost effective. Robert B. Colvin, MD, chief of Pathology, nominated Lewandrowski for the award.

Peter L. Slavin, MD, president of the MGH, David Torchiana, MD, chairman and CEO of the Massachusetts General Physicians Organization, and Edward Lawrence, chairman of the MGH Board of Trustees, also spoke at the event.

The Bowditch Prize was established by Charles and Nancy Munger through the Alfred C. Munger Foundation to honor Nathaniel Bowditch (1773-1838), a pioneer in celestial navigation. Bowditch's two sons were important figures in the history of the MGH. Nathaniel Ingersoll Bowditch served for several years as a trustee, both as a chairman and vice president, and also was responsible for writing the first volume of the MGH's history. His brother, Henry, was a house officer at the MGH in 1832 and became a leader in the treatment of diseases of the chest.

From left, Torchiana, Lawrence, Lewandrowski, Slavin and Warshaw