Chairman Profile

             
Michael A. Berman, UIG Chairman

Michael A. Berman, M.D., renowned pediatric cardiologist and an expert on faculty practice plans and clinical productivity issues, used to be Director of New York Presbyterian Hospital.

Dr. Berman joined New York Presbyterian Hospital in 1997 as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer. Prior to that, he served as Professor and Chairman of the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine.  During his tenure at Maryland, he was elected president of University Physicians, Inc., the faculty practice plan for the University of Maryland, and also served as chairman of the physician’s and hospital’s malpractice self-insurance program.

Dr. Berman began his medical career as a pediatric cardiologist for the National Heart Institute at the National Institutes of Health.  He also held positions as the chief of clinical pediatric cardiology and director of the cardiac catheterization laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine.  From there, he moved to the University of Maryland to serve as director of pediatric cardiology until his appointment as chairman of pediatrics in 1984.

As native of Brooklyn, Dr. Berman received his medical degree in 1967 from the State University of New York, Upstate Medical Center at Syracuse, and subsequently, his post-graduate training in pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. 

 

The Speech by Michael Berman
On the Signing Ceremony of Jing-Ha Hospital Management (Beijing) Inc.

April 13, 2006

First of all I would like to thank my old friend Dr. Jin Dapeng, Director of Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, who encouraged me and my colleagues in both Columbia and New York Presbyterian Hospital come to China to build a new world class medical center in 2003 right after SARS. Secondly I would thank you my new friends such as Tongzhou government officials, Madam Tang, President of China Handicapped Personal Associations, and all the attendees.

What an extraordinary day and historical event – we have three parties:  US Invest Group (UIG) which representing the investors and resources, the Beijing city government which is fully supportive of this project and Harvard Medical International which represents professional leadership, coming together to form the Beijing China-US International Medical Center-Harvard Medical International Associated Institution (BIMC) built by Jing-Ha Hospital Management Inc.. There will be a world class international standard hospital, not only for China, but for the rest of the world. Its emphasis will be the distinguish management & quality medicines available with the distinguish quality education and research, and a charitable foundation with social responsibility.  

It is my pleasure to represent UIG and other Chinese investors today. In 1985, I first came to China as part of a group of pediatric cardiologists. I was stunned by the number of bicycles and the Mao’s dresses. In Beijing I visited the Beijing Children Hospital and Beijing Fuwai (heart) Hospital, I was impressed by the intelligence and erudite knowledge of the Chinese physicians. Unfortunately at that time, technology was lacking. But just as the bicycles have been replaced by automobiles, and traffic jams – not all good – the Mao’s suits by more individualistic dresses, the advanced medical equipment and the entire medical industry has and will continue come to China. The BIMC will be a place where the factor is created.  

In the past 30 years, the fast economic development in China and Asia created great demand for high-end healthcare services, but the number of world-class hospitals can not match the market demand. Today’s development of medicines and life sciences will bring greater opportunities for healthcare and other business, for example, travel business, as well as the employments. This strongly demands us to build the world class hospital in China as soon as possible. In 2004, the health care industry accounts for only 3.8% of GDP in China, while it counts 15.6% of GDP in US., the American expenditure on healthcare was $1.6 trillion, which equaled to China’s total GDP in that year. The healthcare service has significant effect on the modern society. On one hand, Chinese government made great efforts for the medical reform; one the other hand, Chinese people will have higher demand for better healthcare as their income increases, and the medical expenditures will keep increasing.

As the former director of New York Presbyterian Hospital – the largest American hospital, I have many friends who are the bests and brightest in both healthcare and fiancé areas, they are very interested in the investment and development in China. For the initial investors, the BIMC is a both excellent investment opportunity and big challenge, but the probability for success is far overweight for the risk. I am very proud to have such an opportunity to start and promote this project to success. 

Thank you.