Cardiologist and Bangor native Dr. Joshua Cutler has been named the new acting director of the Maine Quality Forum, replacing former director Dr. Dennis Shubert, also of Bangor. Shubert, a retired neurosurgeon, stepped down from the position in December 2005 after serving for three years. He has functioned in a consulting capacity since that time.

Cutler, who now lives in South Portland and practices in Portland, earned his undergraduate degree from Harvard University and his M.D. from Duke University in North Carolina.

The Maine Quality Forum, established in 2003, is a component of Gov. John Baldacci’s Dirigo Health reforms. The organization allows Maine doctors, hospitals, consumers and others to compare provider performance on several fronts, including the rate of hospital admissions for specific medical conditions; frequency of procedures such as hysterectomy, back surgery or joint replacement; and the incidence of common medical complications during hospitalization.

On the Web: www.mainequalityforum.gov.