Stephen Klasko, M.D., M.B.A.
Dean, College of Medicine
Biographical Sketch | Interests | Current Research | Major Publications
M.B.A., University of Pennsylvania
M.D., Hahnemann University
B.S., Lehigh University
Phone: (813) 974-2196
For Patient Appointments: (813) 259-8500
Biographical Sketch
As Vice President for Health Sciences at the University of South Florida, he is building a unique collaboration among colleges of medicine, nursing and public health as well as a School of Physical Therapy within the College of Medicine. As Dean of the College of Medicine at USF, he has begun a change process to take a young medical school and create a modern clinical, educational and research program based on the entrepreneurial-academic model. Dr. Klasko moved to Tampa, Florida, this Fall after his previous role as Dean of Drexel University College of Medicine and CEO of Drexel University Physicians.
At Drexel, Dr Klasko was known for recruiting international leaders in clinical, research and academic roles, creating centers of excellence in neuroscience, microbiology, cancer and women's health research. He rebuilt clinical departments in orthopaedics, cardiology and OB-GYN which have become market share leaders. As the dean of the nation's largest private medical school, he built on Drexel University's strengths in information sciences and biomedical engineering to lead the nation as the first completely wireless medical school, with video streamed lectures and virtual laboratories as supplements to the traditional curriculum. He strengthened the PIL curriculum whereby 25% of the students spend their first and second years in a case-based problem integrated learning group. He also helped turn traditional weaknesses into strengths. For example, fifty percent of the medical staff at the main University hospital are volunteer faculty/private physicians. This had been a source of conflict and a barrier to successful integrative clinical, educational and clinical research growth. He created a partner and utilizer system whereby salaried and volunteer could be viewed as partners in the education and clinical research enterprise, as well as share in the business development, marketing and academic opportunities afforded to traditional full time faculty.
He has also been the founder and principal in The North Group, Inc., a consulting group that has successfully engineered collaborations between physicians, administrators, and industry. This group is responsible for the Optimistic Future Program, an award winning collaboration between graduate medical education programs and the pharmaceutical industry whereby residents understand the business of healthcare while recognizing the role of creativity, collaboration and communication skills as necessary requisites for success in a changing environment.
Before moving to Philadelphia, he served as Chair of OB-GYN at Lehigh Valley Hospital and President of Lehigh Valley Physician Group. During that period, he was responsible for creating innovative multidisciplinary outpatient models, building an academic department that was able to double its graduate medical education complement and become a national educational leader, and manage a profitable 200 physician clinical practice group.
Dr. Klasko received his BS in Chemistry and Biology from Lehigh University. He received his MD from Hahnemann University in Philadelphia. He completed his OB-GYN residency at Health East Teaching Hospitals and became a diplomate of the American Board of OB-GYN in 1984. In 1996, Dr. Klasko successfully completed the Wharton Executive MBA at the Wharton Business School, University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated with honors.
Since that time, he has served on the faculty of the Governance Institute, a health care think tank for academic institutions, the faculty of several Wharton seminars for medical leaders, and has been asked to speak throughout the country regarding his research on physician motivation and negotiation. A member of numerous professional and honorary societies, he is on the Board of Governors of the Philadelphia Obstetric Society, Association of Professors in Gynecology and Obstetrics, American College of Physician Executives, and the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons. Prior to accepting the appointment in Philadelphia, he represented seven states on the National Council of Resident Education in Obstetrics and Gynecology. He is currently a board examiner for the American Board of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Interests
Health Care Leadership Development
Current Research
Major Publications
Klasko, SK. Enhancing Creativity in Health Care Leadership. Governance Institute. Chicago, 2003
Klasko, SK. Back To the Optimistic Future: What Should We Be Teacvhing Our Residents? Council of University Chairs in OB-GYN. New.Orleans, 2003.
Klasko, SK. Innovative Continuity Clinic Models for OB-GYN Residencies. CREOG New Program Directors School. Dallas, 2003.
Klasko, SK. PMS, PMDD, LLPD: Playing Scrabble With Hormonal Disorders. First Annual Clinical Care Conference. Aspen, 2003.
Klasko, SK: Family Practice and OBGYNS-A Tropical Aquarium or a Den of Piranhas American Journal of Forensic Medicine, January 2002.
Klasko SK and Winkel CS, The Ethics of Expanding OB-GYN Practices. ACOG Annual Meeting, San Francisco, 2002.
Klasko SK and Shea GS: The Phantom Stethoscope: Creating an Optimistic Future In Medicine, Hillsboro Press, 2000.
Klasko SK: Educating Physicians To Seize the Future. Governance Institute, 2001.
Klasko, SK: Crossing the Galaxy: A Hitchiker's Guide to Physicians and Administrators. Alliance For Health Care Strategy and Marketing, Orlando, 1999.
Klasko, SK: Management of Benign Uterine Disease: Where Cost, Quality and Incentive Alignment Collide. Ethicon Endosurgery, Inc. and Hill Medical Group, Cincinnatti, 1999.
Klasko, SK: The Technology of Trust—Physicians As Negotiators. CREOG-APGO Annual Meeting, Orlando, 1999
Klasko SK: University vs Community Rotations For Medical Students. CREOG-APGO Annual Meeting, Orlando, 1998.
Klasko, SK, Haley P, and Kaufman M: Psychologic Effects of Hysterectomy. Primary Psychiatry, 1998.
Balducci J, Weiss PM and Klasko SK: Prreeclampsia: Immunologic Alteration of Nitabuch's Membrane. Journal of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. 1997, 6:324-328.
Weiss PM, Balducci J and Klasko SK: Does Centralized Monitoring Affect Perinatal Outcome? Journal of Maternal-Fetal Medicine. 1997, 6:317-319.
Klasko, SK: Negotiating With Physicians: Replacing Frustration With Collaboration . Association of Managers in Gynecology and Obstetrics Annual Meeting, Palm Beach, 1997.
Klasko, SK: Aligning Physician Incentives with Organizational Goals. Florida Health Seminars, Boca Raton, 1997
Klasko, SK: Educating Residents to Thrive and Prosper in the 21st Century/Applying Business Modules for the Benefit of Patients and Providers. CREOG and APGO Annual Meeting, New Orleans, 1997
Klasko, SK: Quality of Life/Psychological Effects of Hysterectomy. ACOG Annual Meeting, Las Vegas, 1997.
Balducci, J, Klasko, SK: Do Incentive Programs Influence Perinatal Outcomes? Proceedings of the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, Anaheim, 1997
Lemus, J, Klasko, SK: Lowering the Incidence of Cesarean Section with Active Management of Labor. Proceedings of the Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, Anaheim, 1997
University of Cincinnatti, Creating Win:Win Scenarios in Women's Health, 1997.
Cornell University/New York Hospital, Physicians as Negotiators: It's a Whole New Deal, 1997
Baltimore OB-GYN Society, Negotiating With Physicians As a Tool For Creating Trust, 1997.
Medical Center of Delaware, Forget the Paradigm, Create Your Own Future in Health Care, 1997
Shell, GR, Klasko, SK: Biases Physicians Bring to the Table. The Physician Executive. 1996, volume 22, issue 12
Klasko, SK: Creating Win-Win Scenarios in Women's Health. Lehigh University, Spirit of Women, Bethlehem, 1996
Klasko, SK, Atlas, RO: Emphasizing the Care Component in the Primary Care Initiative. CREOG and APGO Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, 1996 (Oral Abstract Presentation -1st Prize)
Klasko, SK: Forget the Paradigm, Create Your Own Future in Health Care (Educating Physicians to Survive and Prosper in the 21st Century). CREOG and APGO Annual Meeting, Albuquerque, 1996
Klasko, SK, Kaufmann, M: Stress and Burnout Among Physicians. AMA International Conference on Physician Well Being, Phoenix, 1996
Klasko, SK, Cummings, RV, Glazerman, LR: Resident Data Collection: Do the Numbers Add Up? American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1995; 172: 1312-1316
Klasko, SK, Cummings, RV: The Impact of Mandated Hospital Coverage on Primary Cesarean Delivery Rates in a Large Non-University Teaching Hospital. American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology. 1995; 172: 637-642
Klasko, SK, Cummings, RV: OB/GYN Residency Programs - How Will We Train Primary Care Physicians? How Will We Document It? Primary Care Updates for OB/GYNs. 1995; vol. 2 no. 3: 111-113
Klasko, SK, Kaufmann, M: Reduction of Stress and Prediction of Burnout in an Obstetrics-Gynecology Residency Program. CREOG and APGO Annual Meeting, Orlando, 1995 (Abstract Presentation -3rd Place)
Klasko, SK, Haley, P: Psychological Effects of Hysterectomy - Development of a Biopsychosocial Model. American Society for Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology Annual Meeting, Crystal City, 1995