BD names Dr. Ron Silverman as Chief Medical Officer
BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company) announced that Ronald (Ron) Silverman, MD, FACS, has been named executive vice president and chief medical officer of BD, effective Dec. 4, 2023.
Dr. Silverman will be responsible for leading the company’s Medical Affairs organization, which includes end-to-end medical affairs across BD’s business units, regions and central team. In this role, he will use medical insights and expertise to advance BD’s pipeline of clinically relevant, innovative solutions that align with evolving patient needs, while also contributing to the safety and compliance of BD’s in-market portfolio of products. Dr. Silverman will report to Beth McCombs, executive vice president and chief technology officer for BD, and serve as a member of the BD Executive Leadership Team.
Dr. Silverman replaces Dr. William Sigmund, who has been chief medical officer for BD since January 2018 and announced his intent to retire from the company in June 2023. Dr. Silverman joins BD from 3M Health Care, where he most recently served as senior vice president and chief medical officer since 2021. He previously led Medical and Clinical Affairs teams for multiple business units within 3M – first for KCI Corporation, followed by Acelity Corporation, and then 3M Health Care Medical Solutions Division. Prior to that, he was chief of plastic surgery at the University of Maryland Medical Center and continues to hold academic appointments at both the University of Maryland and Johns Hopkins schools of medicine.
Dr. Silverman earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a Doctor of Medicine degree from the University of Maryland and trained in surgery and plastic surgery with Harvard’s Massachusetts General Hospital. He is certified by The American Board of Plastic Surgery, is on the advisory board for the University of Maryland Fischell Department of Bioengineering at the Clark School of Engineering and holds membership with 7 professional organizations. Dr. Silverman holds two patents, has authored more than 80 journal publications and contributed to several textbooks.
Owens & Minor launches Life Takes Care™
Owens & Minor, Inc. has unveiled its new purpose, Life Takes Care. More than a motto or tagline, Life Takes Care captures the company’s unique approach to caring for both the business and the humanity at the heart of healthcare.
The past few years have brought about historic shifts affecting not only Owens & Minor, but also the healthcare industry as a whole, accelerating trends in where, when and how care is delivered. Research shows that purpose-driven companies experience approximately 14% greater revenue growth, are nearly two times as likely to have above average returns, and have +8% reduced turnover; have +12% fewer safety incidents; and +4% increased profitability. Additionally, a study of high-growth companies found company purpose to be one of four key growth drivers.
Life Takes Care was uncovered and developed using teammate perspectives as well as strategic insights from company leadership. This statement of purpose encompasses the entirety of Owens & Minor’s global business: the Products & Healthcare Services and Patient Direct business segments as well as its affiliated brands, Apria®, Byram® and HALYARD*. Life Takes Care was first unveiled on December 6, 2023 and will be celebrated throughout its inaugural year in 2024.
Baxter International Foundation and UNICEF partner to expand safe water access
The Baxter International Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Baxter International Inc., and UNICEF, announced a partnership to improve access to safe drinking water and sanitation in five water-challenged regions in Egypt.
The sanitation effort is supported by a $2.5 million grant from the Foundation, this three-year initiative aims to implement climate-smart water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) programming for thousands of people in Upper Egypt’s governorates of Aswan, Assiut, Quena, Minya and Luxor through community engagement, education and rehabilitation of primary health units.