David B. Hellmann,
MD, MACP
It’s hard to believe that more than 14 years have passed since the Center for Innovative Medicine was launched at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. As we move well into our second decade, I’m thrilled beyond measure to see CIM’s “ripple effect.” Increasingly, our people and programs are having an impact well beyond Bayview, improving the health and lives of people across our city, our state, our nation – and beyond.
For evidence, look no farther than this issue’s cover story about the advocacy efforts of CIM scholar Jeremy Greene. A primary care physician and noted director of the Institute of the History of Medicine at Johns Hopkins, Jeremy has become the “go-to” expert for state and Congressional legislators who are working to bring down the costs of prescription drugs. The current state of affairs is truly alarming. As Jeremy points out, the annual cost of insulin for type 1 diabetes has nearly doubled in recent years, putting the medication out of reach for many who need it. By taking the long view, Jeremy is bringing a well-informed voice to the national conversation about this important issue.
In a similar fashion, the work of addiction expert Michael Fingerhood has gained the attention of freshman members of the U.S. House of Representatives, who visited earlier this spring, touring sites (such as Bayview’s Emergency Department) where Mike and his team have scaled up innovative programs to better treat patients with substance use disorder. Closer to home, Johns Hopkins University president Ronald Daniels has now tapped Mike, a member of the Miller Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence, to lead an ambitious, universitywide effort to address opioid addiction, which builds on groundwork already laid by CIM’s “5 in 10” Initiative. With Mike’s leadership, I’m more confident than ever that we’ll be able to make a positive impact – and soon – in the lives of those grappling with debilitating addiction.
I’m excited by the ever-widening impact that CIM is having in our continued efforts to make medicine a public trust – and very grateful for your support.
Aliki Perroti Professor of Medicine;
Vice Dean, Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center;
Chairman, Department of Medicine
