GLFHC names Joseph Gravel, M.D. as new Chief Medical Officer, Residency Director

GLFHC Chief Executive Officer Robert Ingala in his announcement praised Gravel for his dedication to community-based medicine and the work he has accomplished in the area of a family medicine based residency program.  “We’re very proud to have Dr. Gravel join our organization.  His commitment to community healthcare makes him a valued asset to GLFHC and the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency in our mission to improve and maintain the health of individuals and families in the Merrimack Valley.”

Dr. Gravel expressed similar sentiments once the announcement was made official by Ingala.  "I am thrilled to be joining the Greater Lawrence Family Health Center and its family medicine residency program. GLFHC has a national reputation for innovative, state-of-the-art, culturally competent primary care that is truly community-oriented. The Lawrence Family Medicine Residency is nationally known for producing some of the finest family physicians in the country. I look forward to working with such a talented, committed team to provide a model personal medical home for the Greater Lawrence community."

Gravel brings a long, dedicated and varied work history to the Lawrence, MA based health center in both community medicine and family residency programs.  Since 1995, Gravel has served as Director of the Tufts University Family Medicine Residency Program based in Malden, MA.  He also currently serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Public Health & Family Medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, Massachusetts.  Prior to that assignment, Gravel also served as Chief, Department of Family Medicine as well as the Medical Director for Hallmark Health System/ Malden Medical Center in Malden, MA.

From the residency perspective, Gravel was recently elected President of the Association of Family Medicine Residency Directors’ Board of Directors.  GLFHC is also the home to the nation’s first accredited community health center-sponsored Family Medicine Residency training program which has been ACGME accredited since 1993.   Ingala points out “Joe presented us with a unique proposal; he offered to also function as our Residency Director. We had much discussion with him about that and overall think it will be an innovative approach for GLFHC. “  Ingala concludes, “We are committed to providing culturally sensitive patient care, superb medical education and an environment that is compassionate, understanding and open to continuous improvement.  With the addition of Dr. Gravel to our management team, I expect we will continue that commitment well into the future.”

ABOUT THE LAWRENCE FAMILY MEDICINE RESIDENCY: The LFMR is an innovative training program which attracts exceptional physicians who are committed to caring for underserved populations.  The mission of the Lawrence Family Medicine Residency is to create and nurture learning environments where physicians are inspired to develop expertise in family medicine and to dedicate themselves to the care of individuals, families and communities especially those who are underserved.