Paul Ellwood recuperating from serious injury

In case you haven’t heard, Dr. Paul Ellwood, who coined the phrase, “health maintenance organization” and was a leading force in the early days of quality measurement, has suffered a serious accident. Writing at The Health Care Blog, Michael Millenson relays an e-mail that 82-year-old Ellwood survived “a 12-foot backward fall into a jagged confined space. Result at least 6 smashed cervical and thoracic vertebrae. [But] no paralysis! In a halo and off full duty for a while, but eager to rejoin the hunt.”

I’ve never met Ellwood, but I have had at least one lengthy phone conversation with him, so I guess that qualifies me to wish him a speedy recovery. Get well soon, Dr. Ellwood.