Research Spotlight: Treating Severe Community-Acquired Pneumonia with Steroids
The results of a recent clinical trial are sufficient to endorse the use of steroids in addition to antibiotics in cases of severe community acquired pneumonia.
Joshua Metlay, MD, PhD
About Joshua Metlay, MD, PhD
Dr. Joshua P. Metlay, MD, PhD, is Chief, Division of General Internal Medicine
Dr. Metlay received his bachelor's degree from Yale University, his PhD in Immunology from Rockefeller University, and his MD from Cornell University Medical College. He completed residency and chief residency in internal medicine at the University of Pittsburgh and a fellowship in general internal medicine and epidemiology at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He also received a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard School of Public Health.
Dr. Metlay's research spans two major areas, the epidemiology of drug resistance among common bacterial respiratory pathogens, particularly S. pneumoniae and the development and evaluation of interventions to improve the quality of treatment decisions for respiratory tract infections. This research has led to numerous federal grants from NIAID, CDC, and AHRQ and roles on national advisory committees in the area of infectious diseases epidemiology.
Dr. Metlay is dedicated to education and mentorship. He has been recognized with a number of honors including the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2008 (Pen's highest teaching honor), the Mid-Career Research and Mentorship Award from the Society of General Internal Medicine in 2010, and the Arthur Asbury Outstanding Faculty Mentorship Award from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011.
Clinical Interests:
- Acute Bronchitis
- Adult primary care medicine
- Antibiotic prescribing
- Antibiotic Resistant Infections
- Clinical decision support
- Community-acquired pneumonia
- General internal medicine
- Hospital Medicine
- Immunization
- Patient reported measures of health outcomes
- Quality Improvement
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass General Internal Medicine Associates
55 Fruit St.
6th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-724-4600
Mass General Internal Medicine
50 Staniford St.
9th Floor
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-2000
Medical Education
- PhD, Rockefeller University
- MD, Weill Cornell Medical College
- Residency, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
- Fellowship, Massachusetts General Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- MassHealth ACO
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid RI
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Railroad Medicare
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Dr. Metlay's research program is in the fields of clinical epidemiology and health services research, specifically focused on generating and implementing evidence to optimize the management of patients with community-acquired pneumonia. He has led numerous multi-institutional clinical studies, including cluster randomized trials, and has specific expertise in developing methods for primary and secondary data collection, outcome measurement and analysis. His current work is focused on development, implementation and evaluation of interventions to improve the quality of healthcare and reduce medical errors.