Children's Hospital Boston names new Martha Eliot Health Center executive director

May 22, 2007

Jim Cote, Executive Director, Martha Eliot Health Center Children's Hospital Boston (CHB) is pleased to announce the selection of James "Jim" Cote as the Executive Director of Martha Eliot Health Center (MEHC), a community health center located at 34 Bickford St., Jamaica Plain, which is licensed and operated by Children's. Cote will officially assume this new position on July 2.

A well respected health care administrator with 20 years of health care management experience, Cote has a proven track record of success, primarily at Children's, MEHC and Boston Medical Center. During the past year, he has served as a key interim leader at the health center with great success. Among other accomplishments, Cote and the health center team have completed the first phase of the health center's electronic medical record transfer, prepared the health center for a successful visit by the Joint Commission and expanded enrollment efforts for the state's new health care coverage.

"Jim's long-term commitment to and understanding of the health center, its patients, staff, and local community, were critically important factors in our selection process," said Sandra Fenwick, Chief Operating Officer, CHB. "He has served as a key leader at MEHC for the past year, working hand-in-hand with a highly talented and committed team to improve care, service, and access to the health center as well as to strengthen our team through recruitment."

In accepting this position, Cote has come full circle. He started his health care career at MEHC as Operation's Manager in 1992. In 2005, he was promoted to Children's Director of Ambulatory Services after serving for more than five years as Practice Administrator for the Department of Orthopedics. Prior to Children's, Cote served as Boston Medical Center's Administrative Director, OB/GYN Faculty Practice Plan, having been promoted from the Practice Manager position.

"During his most recent years at Children's, Jim earned a solid reputation for launching best practice operational and service programs and developing systems to track and benchmark performance," said Mark Marcantano, VP, Ambulatory and Network Services, CHB.

Cote holds an MBA with a specialty in Health Care Administration and Marketing from University of Massachusetts/Boston, BA in Biology from Saint Joseph's College, North Windam, Maine. He has completed numerous trainings in areas such as diversity, executive leadership, ambulatory management, physician practice management, and customer service. Cote has deep local roots, having lived in Boston for 21 years, including 10 years in Jamaica Plain, and now in West Roxbury.

As MEHC's new executive director, his immediate priorities are to strengthen and possibly expand current clinical programs, assess and respond to the community's unique needs, launch a successful community health fair this summer, and celebrate the health center's 40th anniversary this fall. He will continue to foster a positive work environment, which encourages a collaborative approach to finding solutions.

Contact:
Jaime Crespo
617-355-6420
jaime.crespo@childrens.harvard.edu

Martha Eliot Health Center is Children's Hospital Boston's community health center in Jamaica Plain. Established in 1966, it embodies more than 30 years of the hospital's commitment to the children of Boston. MEHC provides comprehensive pediatric, adolescent, adult and OB/GYN medical services including: adult, adolescent and pediatric primary care, diabetes, pre-diabetes weight control clinic for youth, domestic violence, HIV, nutrition services, WIC nutrition services, mental health, OB/GYN, optometry, phlebotomy, substance abuse.

Children's Hospital Boston is the nation's premier pediatric medical center. Founded in 1869 as a 20-bed hospital for children, today it is a 347-bed comprehensive center for pediatric and adolescent health care grounded in the values of excellence in patient care and sensitivity to the complex needs and diversity of children and families. More than 100 outpatient specialty clinics are located at Children's. Children's Hospital Boston is the primary pediatric teaching affiliate of Harvard Medical School, home to the world's leading pediatric research enterprise, and the largest provider of health care to the children of Massachusetts. For more information about the hospital visit: www.childrenshospital.org/newsroom.