Bermuda Hospitals Board has announced that Keith Chiappa has taken over as chief of staff while recruitment for a permanent appointment is completed.

Dr Chiappa, a consultant neurologist, will continue with his duties in the meantime. He takes over from Michael Weitekamp, whose three-year contract has come to an end.

The chief of staff serves as BHB’s most senior physician, overseeing clinical care and quality, and is appointed through a legislative process that requires ministerial approval.

Today’s BHB statement follows:

“Born in Bermuda and educated here to age 17, Dr Chiappa was appointed as BHB’s Chief of Medicine and Consultant Neurologist in 2008, after a highly distinguished career at Massachusetts General Hospital, where he worked from 1976 to 2011.

“He held increasing senior positions at Mass General, his last positions being director of units of the Clinical Neurophysiology Laboratory, and Associate Professor of Neurology, Harvard Medical School. He also served on Harvard Medical School committees for scientific review of research proposals and continuing medical education.

“Educated at Harvard and Oxford Universities, Dr Chiappa undertook his postdoctoral training at Boston City Hospital, Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, with a research fellowship at the University of California at San Diego.

“Venetta Symonds, Chief Executive Officer, comments: ‘I would first like to thank Dr. Weitekamp for his dedicated and exemplary service to BHB and Bermuda. He has been a wise and guiding presence and set ambitious goals that relate to clinical care and quality, which he has worked hard to achieve. As Chief of Medicine, Dr Chiappa worked with Dr Arlene Basden, Director of the Hospitalist Service, to upgrade the Hospitalist service, including 24-hour hospital coverage, improved emergency department admission coverage, and communications with patients and the community physicians. As a neurologist, he has worked steadily to improve the care of stroke patients at BHB, including the use of emergency clot-busting therapies. We are very fortunate that Dr Chiappa has agreed to take on this role as we complete an extensive recruitment process in the coming months for a permanent appointment. Dr Chiappa’s extensive leadership and medical experience will help us keep momentum going so that we can ultimately meet our vision of ‘Exceptional Care. Strong Partnerships. Healthy Community’.’

“Dr. Chiappa comments: ‘I’m looking forward to working with the Medical Chiefs, the physicians at BHB, the community physicians and the Ministry of Health to continue the work of improving the quality of clinical care in Bermuda. I am very pleased to be able to assist BHB at this time and work with my colleagues to ensure we continue to make progress to improve standards of governance and medical practice.’

“A co-founder of the electronic Journal of Contemporary Neurology, Dr Chiappa was editor of the publication from 1995 to 2004. He was also co-editor of UpToDate in Neurology from 1995 to 1997.

“Alongside many research papers, Dr Chiappa also authored and co-authored numerous books and monographs, and lectured extensively internationally.”