Dr. Jeffrey E. Hawtof appointed VP of Beebe Medical Operations and Informatics

Beebe Medical Center recently announced that Jeffrey E. Hawtof, MD, a local family physician and a member of the Beebe Medical staff, has been appointed vice president of Medical Operations and Informatics.

In this capacity, Hawtof has multiple administrative responsibilities, including serving as the principal interface between physicians and other practitioners, executive leadership, and the board of directors;  working with the Quality Assessment Department to evaluate and improve the quality and safety of patient care; working with members of the medical staff who show an interest in leadership activities; working with Beebe Medical Center and the medical staff to discuss, design, and assist with implementation of alternative delivery systems for cost-effective care; supporting the medical staff in its ongoing evaluation and credentialing of the medical professionals affiliated with Beebe Medical Center; and helping develop suitable programs of graduate and continuing medical education programs, commensurate with the objectives of the medical staff.

Because of his unique background in computers and information systems, Hawtof will be functioning as the chief medical information officer; he will work with other operational leaders and the IT Committee/Department to provide physician leadership in advancing clinical information technologies at Beebe Medical Center. The CMO/IO will provide oversight to the analyses of the practitioner needs of the hospital and community, work with the members of the medical staff to align existing community physicians with the hospital, and recruit needed physician and practitioner resources to the community.

He will bring his medical expertise to the design and implementation of the electronic medical records system. This system, once completed, will enable members of the medical staff to view the records of Beebe Medical Center patients, as well as to enter orders for medical care, whether the physicians are at the hospital or at a remote location. The system will be designed to help physicians practice evidenced-based medicine at the point of care.

With the many challenges facing hospitals and healthcare systems, Hawtof will be looking at the challenges facing community doctors and will work toward seeing how Beebe Medical Center can make it easier for them to give their patients high-quality care. To remain familiar with the many issues that physicians and patients face, Hawtof will continue to see patients on a part-time basis at his private practice in Millsboro.

“Dr. Hawtof is a Beebe physician who puts the patient first and who shows respect for our patients, our physicians and our staff members,” said Jeffrey M. Fried, president and CEO of Beebe Medical Center. “He is someone who is focused on keeping open the doors of communication. He also has the expertise we need to make sure our electronic medical records system is implemented in a way that will make it easier for our staff and physicians to care for our patients, while minimizing the growing impact of regulations and requirements on their daily lives. An effective and efficient electronic medical records system will be an important tool in helping us to provide safe and quality healthcare.”

Hawtof has been a member of the Beebe Medical Staff since 1998. He also has served as medical director for the Cape Henlopen School District, and continues to volunteer his medical services at Cape Henlopen High School’s home football games.

He earned his medical degree at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia and completed his internship and residency in family medicine at the Medical College of Virginia at Riverside Regional Medical Center in Newport News, Va. He is board certified in family practice medicine.

Hawtof has extensive experience in hospital computer systems. Before entering medical school, he earned undergraduate degrees in biology and computer sciences and went on to design a computer system at the University of Maryland Medical Center’s Cancer Center. This system was used to develop new cancer drugs.

“I want to make sure that we have the best medical staff for the communities that we serve,” Hawtof says. “Our office will be customer friendly and have an open-door policy to help our physicians. If we do that, our physicians can offer the best healthcare to our patients.”

Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities it serves. For more information, go to  www.beebemed.org