Berwick Wants To Shift From Health Policy To Governor

In the latest of WBUR's series of conversation with the 2014 gubernatorial candidates, we speak with Dr. Donald Berwick, a Newton pediatrician and a health care policy expert focusing on quality and cost.

Berwick has taught at Harvard Medical School and the Harvard School of Public Health, he was a vice president at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, and he helped create and lead the Cambridge-based nonprofit think tank Institute for Healthcare Improvement.

Most recently, Berwick headed the federal Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. , resigning in late 2011 after Republican lawmakers threatened to block his confirmation hearing.

He talks with WBUR's Sacha Pfeiffer about his run for Massachusetts governor.

Don Berwick, pediatrician, health policy expert and Democratic candidate for governor

Radio Boston Democrat Juliette Kayyem: "You have to address the problems of today, but to be successful we have to do so in a way that's going to make us more prepared, more resilient for the future."

Radio Boston Independent Evan Falchuk: "There's a disconnect in our politics where the priorities that our elected leaders are pursuing aren't matching up with what voters want to see. It's polarized."

Radio Boston Democratic Attorney General Martha Coakley: "Let's talk about what we really need to do in this state, which is to create the environment that the private sector and the not-for-profit sector will be able to continue to grow and thrive."

Radio Boston Republican Charlie Baker: "You need to focus on where you want to go. What's your path? What's your vision? Where do you want to take the state? And that's why this time, I'm going to focus a lot more on the fact that I think we can do better. I think we should be great."

Radio Boston Democratic State Treasurer Stephen Grossman: "I'm running for governor because I believe the people of Massachusetts want proven leadership that will leave no one behind, no one out, in a way that empowers them."