David Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.P. Closed Now

Dr. David Blumenthal is an internationally recognized physician, scholar, and policy leader whose career has significantly shaped the health data systems and digital health policy landscape in the United States. He is best known for his role as the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) under President Barack Obama, where he oversaw the implementation of the HITECH Act (2009)—a landmark policy that accelerated the adoption of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) across the U.S. healthcare system.

Dr. Blumenthal earned his M.D. from Harvard Medical School and a Master’s in Public Policy (M.P.P.) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Throughout his career, he has balanced clinical practice, academic teaching, and public service.

During his tenure at the ONC (2009–2011), Dr. Blumenthal focused on ensuring that health IT adoption was not just about digitizing medical records but also about improving care quality, safety, and coordination. His leadership helped drive interoperability initiatives and shaped the federal government’s role in health IT standards, incentives, and governance.

After leaving the ONC, Dr. Blumenthal became the President of The Commonwealth Fund, a leading healthcare policy research foundation, where he directed efforts to advance a high-performing healthcare system that achieves better access, improved outcomes, and greater equity. Under his leadership, The Commonwealth Fund published influential studies comparing healthcare systems globally and provided guidance for reforming U.S. healthcare policy.

In addition to policy leadership, Dr. Blumenthal has written extensively in top journals such as The New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM), Health Affairs, and JAMA. His research and commentary often focus on EHR implementation, health IT policy, care delivery reform, and international health system performance.

Dr. Blumenthal is also admired for his ability to connect clinical medicine, technology, and policy, influencing not only academic circles but also real-world healthcare transformation.