Sam Bhayani, MD, who recently was appointed chief medical officer of the Faculty Practice Plan at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, has been named the Holekamp Family Chair in Urology at Barnes-Jewish Hospital (BJH) and the School of Medicine.
The endowed chair was established in 2001 by Bill and Kerry Holekamp and the Holekamp Family Foundation through The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital. The honor recognizes Bhayani’s leadership in collaborative research aimed at developing better standards of care and outcomes for patients.
Since 2012, Bhayani has served as the chief medical officer, vice president of medical affairs and chief of surgery at Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital. In November 2015, he took on the additional role of chief medical officer of the Faculty Practice Plan, known as Washington University Physicians.
Meanwhile, he continues to practice and serve as chief of surgery at the west St. Louis County hospital and see urology patients at BJH. A leader in robotic surgery, Bhayani is well-regarded for innovative techniques he helped develop to treat prostate and kidney cancers.
As CMO of the Faculty Practice Plan, Bhayani works with the School of Medicine’s clinical departments to ensure its clinical services and programs are “best in class.” Further, in partnership with BJC HealthCare, Bhayani is playing a role in designing and implementing a new, unified electronic patient medical record system.
“The annual funding that the endowed chair provides for Dr. Bhayani will enable us to pursue better outcomes for our patients,” said Bob Cannon, president of BJH and group president of BJC Health Care. “As an endowed chair, Dr. Bhayani will continue to build clinical programs and nurture discoveries that both prevent and cure disease, and he will teach and inspire tomorrow’s best surgeons and physicians. He also will set benchmarks in patient safety and quality of care for other national leaders to follow. We’re so pleased to recognize Dr. Bhayani for his accomplishments and look forward to many more.”
Among his other responsibilities, Bhayani works with BJC and James P. Crane, MD, associate vice chancellor for clinical affairs and chief executive officer of the Faculty Practice Plan, on systemwide initiatives that affect Washington University Physicians.
“Sam is a very special faculty member at Washington University School of Medicine,” said Timothy Eberlein, MD, head of the school’s Department of Surgery, surgeon-in-chief at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and director of the Siteman Cancer Center. “Not only is he a superb surgeon and well-published author, but he has become an outstanding medical administrator. He is deeply deserving of this endowed chair, and we are extremely grateful for the Holekamp family’s enduring support.”
Bhayani is a Washington University School of Medicine graduate and has been a member of the faculty since 2004. He completed his residency in urology at BJH, followed by a fellowship at Johns Hopkins. He then received a master’s degree in patient safety leadership from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
The Holekamp family has provided substantial support to institutions dedicated to improving the lives of St. Louis-area residents — Washington University, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, the St. Louis Science Center and the Missouri Botanical Garden among them. William Holekamp was an active volunteer during the campaign to establish the Siteman Cancer Center, and is an emeritus director on The Foundation for Barnes-Jewish Hospital’s board of directors.
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