Honoring a Commitment to Pediatric Primary Care: Chief of General Pediatrics and Community Health Installed as Inaugural Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics
Washington, DC -- Mark Weissman, MD, Chief of General Pediatrics and Community Health at Children’s National Health System, was installed as the inaugural Diane and Norman Bernstein Professor of Community Pediatrics in a ceremony on May 27. As the first endowed professorship at Children’s National to support community health initiatives, it will provide Dr. Weissman with dedicated time to focus on improving care and outcomes for all children in the Washington, DC, community.
“Children can’t choose their parents, their insurance, or even their pediatricians—but they all deserve the same access, quality, and experience of care—the best,” says Dr. Weissman. “I’m honored to receive this recognition and look forward to continuing to develop and sustain the best primary care delivery and training at Children’s National and across the region.”
Dr. Weissman directs primary care services as Vice President of the Diana L. and Stephen A. Goldberg Center for Community Pediatric Health. With his vision and leadership, all seven Children’s Health Centers have twice achieved the highest level of national recognition as patient-centered medical homes by the National Committee of Quality Assurance, making Children’s National the first and only pediatric practices in the District of Columbia to achieve this milestone in quality care. Under Dr. Weissman’s leadership, Children’s National is also the largest primary care provider for underserved children in the District of Columbia.
“Mark is driven by a constant quest to improve healthcare quality, critically evaluating and implementing clinical and patient engagement processes as we strive to raise the bar for community health and primary care,” says Denice Cora-Bramble, MD, MBA, FAAP, Chief Medical Officer and Executive Vice President of Ambulatory and Community Health Services at Children’s National. “We’re fortunate to have Mark as part of the Children’s National family, and I’m pleased to see him and Children’s recognized for our community health successes.
The professorship was endowed by Diane and Norman Bernstein, and is the second professorship endowed by their family. The first was the Diane and Norman Bernstein Professorship in Pediatric Surgery, currently held by Anthony Sandler, MD, the Senior Vice President of the Joseph E. Robert, Jr., Center for Surgical Care. Norman Bernstein founded Bernstein Management Corporation, a privately-owned real estate firm based in Washington, DC. His wife, Diane spent 15 years in the 1970’s and 1980’s as a volunteer and employee at Children’s National. During this time, she founded the Patient Representative Office and helped found the Child Life Services Program. Diane also initiated the New Horizons program that brings creative arts to patient bedsides.
Dr. Weissman has been a practicing primary care pediatrician for more than 35 years. He joined Children’s National in 1975 as a resident.
Contact: Emily Hartman or Caitlyn Camacho at 202-476-4500.
