Interview with Avedis Donabedian, M.D. Interview by Gordon Brown

Avedis Donabedian was born in Beirut, Lebanon, grew up in a small town north of Jerusalem, and returned to Beirut to obtain his B.A. and M.D. degrees from the American University. After the receipt of his M.P.H. degree from the Harvard School of Public Health, and a period as a research assistant in Boston, he became a teacher of preventive medicine at New York Medical College. Dr. Donabedian subsequently joined the faculty of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he is now the Nathan Sinai Distinguished Professor of Public Health, Emeritus. His lifetime's work has focused on systematizing knowledge in health care organization-especially quality assessment and monitoring-but also assessments of health care needs and resources, and the design of program benefits. The quality and contribution of his writings, including six books and many other publications, have been acknowledged throughout the world, and he has received recognition from numerous organizations such as the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American College of Healthcare Executives, and the American College of Medical Quality. In addition to his many prestigious awards, Dr. Donabedian was honored in 1990 by the creation-in Barcelona, Spain-of the Avedis Donabedian Foundation for the Improvement of Health Care.