Richard Gliklich, HMS clinical professor of otology and laryngology and director of the Clinical Outcomes Research Unit at Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI), has been named the first incumbent of the Leffenfeld Professorship in Otology and Laryngology. The professorship, established by the MEEI Board of Directors and carrying the family name of the incumbent’s mother, will be renamed the Richard and Laurie Gliklich Professorship in Otology and Laryngology upon Gliklich’s retirement.
At the June 24 ceremony, Gliklich, who is an HMS alumnus, was honored for his research challenging the traditional viewpoint that randomized clinical trials are sufficient to understanding the effects of drugs, devices and procedures. His work focuses on the effectiveness, safety and quality of care as well as the development of methods to understand outcomes of medical care in real-world clinical practice settings.
“It is a tremendous opportunity to further drive innovation and improvement in health care through better understanding and interpreting better outcomes,” Gliklich said of receiving the professorship.
Gliklich helped pioneer the use of large, prospective observational studies and registries for evaluating the safety, effectiveness and quality of care for medical products and services. He helped develop registries in cardiovascular disease and stroke for the American Heart Association, which are currently used in more than 2,200 hospitals.
The most widely cited handbook in the field, “Registries for Evaluating Patient Outcomes: A User’s Guide,” was led by Gliklich and will be published in its third edition this fall.
Gliklich serves on many national advisory committees on registries and comparative effectiveness research, including the Institute of Medicine, Government Accountability Office, Pew Charitable Trust and U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
