Leslie M Beitsch M.D., J.D.
Associate Dean for Health Affairs
les.beitsch@med.fsu.edu
850-645-1830
Appointment: Professor, Family Medicine and Rural Health
Job Description
Dr. Beitsch's focus is on Health Policy, and he works within the Division of Health Affairs and directs the Center for Medicine and Public Health as well as the Division of Health Affairs.
Biosketch
Prior to joining the College of Medicine, Dr. Beitsch was Commissioner of Health for the State of Oklahoma, serving in that capacity from June 2001 till November 2003. Before that time he held several positions within the Florida Department of Health for twelve years, most recently Deputy Secretary.
Education
B.A., Chemistry, Emory University, 1977

M.D., Georgetown University School of Medicine, 1980

Internship, Medical College of South Carolina, 1981

J.D., Harvard Law School, 1988
Service
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials State Public Health Survey Advisory Group (2009)
Public Health Accreditation Board, Board of Directors (2009)
Emory University Preparedness and Emergency Response Research Center Advisory Board (2009)
Big Bend Area Health Education Center Board of Directors (2008)
Association of Schools of Public Health Practice Award Review Committee
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Changes in Health Care Financing and Organization (HCFO) Initiative’s Special Topic Solicitation in PHSSR grant reviewer
Florida Public Interest Research Group Health Care Advisory Council (2008)
Florida Department of Health Central Office Performance Improvement Advisory Council (2008)
Florida Department of Health External Workgroup on Infant Mortality (2008)
Public Health Accreditation Board Research and Evaluation Committee (2007)
Florida Medical Association Council on Public Health (2007-2010)
North Carolina Division of Public Health Accreditation Site Visitor (February 2007)
Exploring Accreditation Project (Steering Committee member and Workgroup Chair 2005-2006)
National Public Health Performance Standards Revision Committee (State Standards)
National Steering Committee on Hospitals and the Public's Health for the American Hospital Association’s Health Research and Education Trust
Florida Public Health Foundation
Public Health Leadership Society (Board of Directors, Chair 2004-2005)
Florida Society for Preventive Medicine (President 2004-2006)
Public Health Foundation (Board of Directors 2001-2007, Chair 2006-2007)
CDC Search Committee for Coordinating Center Director (COCHES)
Florida Department of Health Quality Improvement Advisory Committee
Pfizer Grants in Public Health Academic Advisory Board
College of Medicine academic liaison to the Florida Public Health Association Board
ASTHO Executive Committee
Governor's Security and Preparedness Executive Panel (Member)
ASTHO Anti-Terrorism Preparedness Task Force (Chair)
CDC Advisory Committee for Injury Prevention and Control (Secretarial Appointment)
CDC Advisory Workgroups
Public Health Foundation (Board of Directors)
Public Health Leadership Society (Board of Directors)
Governor’s Diabetes Advisory Council
Governor’s Health Education Consortium
Florida Medical Association (Committee on Children and School Health and Council on Public Health)
Capital Medical Society (Indigent Care Committee)
Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition (Steering Committee)
Neighborhood Health Services (Board of Directors and Clinician)
Florida Healthy Kids Corporation (Board of Directors)
W.A.G.E.S. Health Care Committee
Association of State and Territorial Health Officers (Management Committee)
Florida Journal of Public Health Editorial Board
Florida Medicaid Advisory Committee
Governor’s Drug Advisory Council
Florida Prevention Research Center National Advisory Council
Friendly Access National Advisory Committee
Public Health Leadership Institute of Florida Advisory Committee
Honors/Awards
Public Health Foundation, Theodore R. Ervin Award for Outstanding Service, 2008
Association of State and Territorial Health Officials Alumnus of the Year, 2007
Oklahoma State Medical Association, Putting Prevention into Practice Award, 2004
Fellow, American College of Preventive Medicine
Oklahoma Academy of Family Physicians Patient Advocate of the Year 2003
Oklahoma State Medical Association, Charlotte S. Leebron Memorial Trust Fund Award 2003, for the article "There's a Dark Cloud Over Oklahoma - And It's Our Own Smoke"
The Oklahoma Alliance on Health or Tobacco, Leadership and Vision In Tobacco Prevention Award 2002
Oklahoma Nurses Association Distinguished Service Citation 2002
Community Health Centers Inc., Certificate of Appreciation 2002
Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control Exemplary Service Award 2002
American Lung Association of Oklahoma Otho Whiteneck Professional Award for Contribution to the Control and Elimination of Lung Disease 2002
Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine Distinguished Public Service Award 2002
Florida Public Health Association 2001 Presidential Award
University of South Florida/Tampa General Hospital Infectious Disease Center Lifetime Appreciation Award 2001
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Public Health Leadership Institute Scholar 1993-1994
Sunshine Health Center's 1992 Humanitarian of the Year Award
Healthy Mothers/Healthy Babies Coalition's 1991 First Steps to the Future Award
Better Babies for Broward's 1991 Outstanding Service and Achievement in Prenatal Care Award
Broward County Public Health Unit's 1991 Exceptional Public Relations Skills Award
American College of Legal Medicine's 1988 Schwartz Award
United States Air Force Commendation Medal
Phi Beta Kappa
Pi Alpha National Chemistry Honor Society
Shell Oil Scholarship Recipient
Memberships
Florida Medical Association
Capital Medical Society
Oklahoma State Medical Association
Oklahoma County Medical Society
American Medical Association
University of Oklahoma College of Public Health Adjunct Faculty
Oklahoma Public Health Association
American Public Health Association
Florida Public Health Association
Florida Association of County Health Officials
Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts
Washington, D.C. Bar Association
Research Focus
Medicine and public health collaboration and coordination
Terrorism preparedness
Health systems quality improvement and work force development
Publications
Riley, W, Moran, J, Corso, L, Beitsch, L, Bialek, Cofsky, A (2009) Defining Quality and Quality Improvement in Public Health. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Corso, L, Lenaway, D, Beitsch, L, Landrum, L, Deutsch, H (2009) The National Public Health Performance Standards: Driving Quality Improvement in Public Health Systems. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Beitsch, L., Leep, C., Shah, G., Brooks, R., Pestonk, R (2009) Quality Improvement in Local Health Departments: Results of the NACCHO 2008 Survey. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Leep, C., Beitsch, L., Gorenflo, G., Solomon, J., Brooks, R. (2009) Quality Improvement in Local Health Departments: Progress, Pitfalls, and Potential. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 15(6),1-9.

Beitsch, L., Corso, L. (2009) Response to Letter to the Editor. American Journal of Public Health. Accepted.

Beitsch, L., Corso, L. (2009) Accountability – The Fast Lane on the Highway to Change. American Journal of Public Health. 99(9)1545.

Brooks, R., Beitsch, L., Street, P., Chukmaitov, A.., Koh, H. (2009) Aligning Public Health Financing with Essential Public Health Service Functions and National Public Health Performance Standards. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 15(4), 299-306.

Geletko, K., Beitsch, L., Lundberg, M., Brooks, R. (2009) Reducing the Impact of the Health Access Crisis through Volunteerism: A Means, Not an End. American Journal of Public Health. 99(7), 1166-1169.

Reed, J., Pavletic, D., Devlin, L., Davis, M., Beitsch, L., Baker, E. (2009) Piloting a State Health Department Accreditation Model: the North Carolina Experience. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 15(2), 85-95.

Beitsch, L. (2008) Public Health Practice: Transcending the Known. American Journal of Public Health. 98(2)200.

Menachemi, N., Beitsch, L., Brooks, R. (2008) Computers in the Exam room… What Will Your Patients Think? Florida Medical Magazine, Jan:20-24.

Menachemi, N., Ford, E., Beitsch, L., Brooks, R. (2007) Incomplete EHR Adoption: Late Uptake of Patient Safety and Cost Control Functions. American Journal of Medical Quality. 22(5)319-326.

Beitsch, L, Menachemi, N., Brooks, R., (2007) Bridging Medicine and Public Health: An Introduction to the Public Health System and Disaster Response for the Busy Clinician. Journal of Florida Medical Association. 91(1) 6-11.

Beitsch, L, Mays, G, Corso, L, Chang, C, Brewer, R. (2007) States Gathering Momentum: Promising Strategies for Accreditation and Assessment Activities in Multi-State Learning Collaborative Applicant States. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Beitsch, L, Landrum, L, Chang, C, Wojciehowski, K. (2007) Public Health Laws and Implications for a National Accreditation Program: Parallel Roadways without Intersection? Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Baker S, Landrum L, Beitsch L, Head R. (2007) The Role of Performance Management and Quality Improvement in a National Voluntary Public Health Accreditation System. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Joly, B, Polyak, G, Davis, M, Brewster, J, Tremain, B, Raevsky, K, Beitsch, L. (2007) How Can Accreditation Improve Public Health Outcomes? Journal of Public Health Management Practice. Accepted.

Beitsch, L., Kodolikar, S., Stephens, T., Shodell, D., Clawson, A., Menachemi, N., Brooks, R. (2006) A State-Based Analysis of Public Health Preparedness Programs in the United States. Public Health Reports. 12(6)737-745.

Beitsch, L., Brooks, R. (2006) What to Expect When They’re Expecting: Legal Issues Associated with Pregnancy and the Prevention of Vertical Transmission of Sexually Transmitted Diseases. Journal of Florida Medical Association. 90(1)36-41.

Beitsch, L., Brooks, R., Menachemi, N., Libbey, P. (2006) Public Health on Center Stage: New Roles, Old Props, Health Affairs. 25(4)911-922.

Beitsch, L., Thielen, L., Mays, G., Brewer, R., Kimbrell, J., Chang, C., Gillen, G., Corso, L., Landrum, L. (2006). The Multi-State Learning Collaborative, States as Laboratories: Informing the National Public Health Accreditation Dialogue. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 12(3)217-231.

Beitsch, L., Grigg, M., Menachemi, N., Brooks, R. (2006). Roles of Local and District Public Health Agencies within the State Public Health System. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 12(3)232-241.

Clawson, A., Menachemi, N., Beitsch, L., Brooks, R. (2006). Are Community Health Centers Prepared for Bioterrorism? Biosecurity & Bioterrorism, 4(1)55-63.

Menachemi, N., Brooks, R., Clawson, A., Stine, C., Beitsch, L. (2006). Continuing Decline in Service Delivery for Family Physicians: Is the Malpractice Crisis Playing a Role? Quality Management in Health Care, 15(1) 39-45.

Beitsch, L., Brooks, R., Grigg, M., Menachemi, N. (2006). Structure and Function of State Public Health Agencies at the Dawn of the New Millennium. American Journal of Public Health. 96(1)167-172.

Beitsch, L., Brooks, R., Glasser, J., Coble, Y. (2005). The Medicine and Public Health Initiative: Ten Years Later. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 29(2):149-153.

Brooks, R., Menachemi, N., Clawson, A., Beitsch, L. (2005). Availability of Physician Services in Florida, Revisited: The Effect of the Professional Liability Insurance Market on Access to Care. Archives of Internal Medicine. 165, 2136-2141.

Beitsch, L. M. (2005). Syphilis and its Reluctant Legal Mistress. Journal of Florida Medical Association. 89(1):23-26.

Beitsch, L. M. (2002). There's a Dark Cloud Over Oklahoma - And It's Our Own Smoke. Journal of Oklahoma State Medical Association. 95(3):115-119.

Barnhill, K.E., Beitsch, L.M., Brooks, R.G. (2001). Improving Access to Care for the Underserved: State Supported Volunteerism as a Successful Component. Archives of Internal Medicine. 161:2177-2181.

Reid, W.M., Beitsch, L.M., Brooks, R.G., Mason, K.P., Mescia, N.D., Webb, S.C. (2001). National Public Health Performance Standards: Workforce Development and Agency Effectiveness in Florida. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 7:67-73.

Beitsch, L.M., Grigg, C.M., Mason, K.P., Brooks, R.G. (2000). “Profiles in Courage: Evolution of Florida’s Quality Improvement and Performance Measurement Systems.” Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 6:31-41.

Mason, K.P., Barber, D., Beitsch, L.M., Grigg, M., Hopkins, R., Mahan, C.S., Speake, D. (1997). Key Elements for Developing a Successful MCH Program Focused on Quality and Health Status Outcome Indicators. Journal of Public Health Management Practice. 3:16-17.

Beitsch, L.M., McTague, D.M. (1996). Tobacco Consumption in Florida. Journal of Florida Medical Association. 83:98-91.

Beitsch, L.M., Mahan, C.S., Cupoli, J.M. (1992). Healthy Start: Strengthening Public and Private Partnership. Journal of Florida Medical Association. 79:567-568.

Beitsch, L.M., Tomchik, R.S., Vickery, L., Rogers, P.J. (1991). Access to Prenatal Care by Low Income Patients: A Survey of Physician Attitudes. Florida Journal of Public Health. 3:50-54.

Wishik, J., Bachman, D.L., Beitsch, L.M. (1989). A Neurobehavioral Perspective of Aggressive Behavior Implications for Pharmacological Management. Residential Treatment for Children and Youth. 7. No.2:17-35.

Beitsch, L.M. (1989). Economic and Punitive Patient Dumping: Whose Life Is it Anyway? Journal of Legal Medicine. 10:433-478.
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