UHF Honors 63 Health Care Quality Improvement Leaders at Tribute to Excellence Today

Wednesday, July 15, 2020

Annual Tribute to Excellence in Health Care Honors 63 Quality Improvement Leaders at 57 Health Care Institutions

NEW YORK, NY—July 13,  2020—United Hospital Fund (UHF) today honored 63 extraordinary quality improvement leaders at 57 hospital systems, long-term care facilities, home care organizations, and independent practice associations across the metropolitan region at its second annual Tribute to Excellence in Health Care, recognizing their personal efforts to champion quality of care, patient safety, and the patient experience. 

The Tribute provides an opportunity for external recognition of excellence. Health care organizations were invited to identify one individual at each site who has demonstrated vision and accomplishment in improving quality of care. Each of the honorees received the Excellence in Health Care Award at a virtual online event, held in lieu of the traditional luncheon due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Over 400 health care professionals, community leaders, and supporters registered to view the event.

“During this unique and challenging time, these quality leaders and their vital efforts to make our health care system more patient-centered, safe, and effective are more important than ever,” said UHF president Anthony Shih, MD. “Today’s honorees are extraordinary individuals who have distinguished themselves for their tireless work drive improvements across the full continuum of patient care.”

Keynote remarks were delivered remotely by Shantanu Agrawal, MD, MPhil, President and CEO of the National Quality Forum. And in a unique twist, each of the honorees videotaped a brief description of their work and inspirations for the event. 

“Let’s be clear: nothing is more central to our healthcare system than quality,” said Dr Agrawal. “This is why what you do is so important. You are a sentinel for quality. You are the driving force in your system to make sure that we are striving for excellence for every single patient, every single day—even for those patients who cannot advocate for themselves.”

The Tribute is supported by TD Bank, and funds donated through the TD Charitable Foundation for this Tribute will support UHF’s Quality Institute, which works to improve the quality, patient experience, and efficiency of health care delivery Cary Kravet, a member of UHF’s board and a trustee of Northwell Health is the event chair. Mr. Kravet chairs the quality committee at Northwell.  

Following are the 2020 honorees and their institutions. More information about the honorees can be found at UHF’s website here. 

 

AdvantageCare Physicians
Seema Massand, MD, MBA, Vice President, Clinical Quality

BronxCare Health System
Marion Riggins, BSN, MPH, CPHQ, Assistant Vice President, Regulatory Services and Quality Management

Coalition of Asian-American IPA (CAIPA)
Zhao Hui Wang, MD, PhD, President, Wang’s Medical PC

Catholic Health Services of Long Island 
Rita A. Jermyn, MD, FACC, Director, Center for Advanced Cardiac Therapeutics, St. Francis Hospital 

Edward F. Lundy, MD, PhD, FACC, FACS, Surgical Director, Kroll Family Center for Heart Failure and Circulatory Support, St. Francis Hospital

Elizabeth Seton Children’s Center 
Andrew R. Sosa, Supervisor of Adaptive Equipment

Gurwin Jewish Nursing & Rehabilitation Center
Lynette Rutherford, RN, MSA, MSN, RAC-CT, Chief Nursing Officer

Hackensack Meridian Health, Jersey Shore University Medical Center  
Noelle M. Aikman, MD, FACOG, Program Director, OB/GYN Residency and Director of OB 

HealthCare Partners, IPA
Robert LoNigro, MD, MS, Executive Vice President

Hospital for Special Surgery 
Linda A. Russell, MD, Director of Perioperative Medicine

Maimonides Medical Center 
Robin J. Gitman, MBA, MPH, Vice President, Academic Affairs and Designated Institutional Official

MediSys Health Network 
Sharon L. Narducci, DNP, APRN-BC, CCRN, Chief Quality Officer

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center 
Frank Licciardi, Chair Emeritus, Patient and Family Advisory Council for Quality

MJHS

Isabella Geriatric Center
Yoko Tajimi, MA, LCAT, QCP, QAPI Specialist

MJHS Hospice & Palliative Care
Dolores Schiele, MSN, RN, Director of Quality Management

Menorah Home and Hospital
Jessica M. Wares, RN, BC, LNHA, Assistant Administrator

Montefiore Health System  

Burke Rehabilitation Hospital 
Paulette Bainbridge, RN, JD, Director of Performance Improvement

The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore 
Michael L. Rinke, MD, PhD, Medical Director of Pediatric Quality

Montefiore Medical Center
Mary Ellen Lindros, EdD, RN, Director of Professional Practice/Nursing Quality Officer
Maryanne Schmid, RN, BSN, MHA, CPHQ, CPPS, Senior Director of Quality Management
Elizabeth A. Duthie, RN, PhD, CPPS, Director of Patient Safety, Network Performance Group

Montefiore Mount Vernon Hospital   
Virginia Conicelli, MSN, RN, CWOCN, IP, Infection Preventionist, Nursing Administration

Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital 
Robert C. Goldstein, MD, CWSP, FACP, FIDSA, Infectious Disease Specialist, Department of Medicine

Montefiore Nyack Hospital  
Besher Kabak, MD, FCCP, Director of Intensivist Medicine

Montefiore Medical Center, Wakefield Campus  
Marilou O. Corpuz, MD, FACP, Clinical Director, Infectious Disease and Infection Prevention    

Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall  
Uticia M. Belfield, MD, Director, The Medical Group

White Plains Hospital 
Samantha Silverstein, MSN, BSN, RN, CPHQ, CNOR, Assistant Director of Surgical Quality

Mount Sinai Health System

Mount Sinai Beth Israel
Marie K. Moss, MPH, RN, CIC, Director, Infection Prevention and Control

Mount Sinai Brooklyn 
Adam R. Brenner, MD, Director of Critical Care

The Mount Sinai Hospital 
Beth Oliver, DNP, RN, Senior Vice President, Cardiac Services

Mount Sinai Morningside 
Lagrimas (Linda) Fausto, Senior Director

Mount Sinai Queens 
Daniella Stephen, MPH, MSN, RN, CPHQ, Clinical Program Manager, Nursing Quality

Mount Sinai West 
Joseph P. Mathew, MD, FACP, FCCP, Director, Medical Intensive Care Unit and the Center for Advanced Medical Simulation

New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai 
Scott R. Horn, MD, Deputy Chief Medical Officer/Quality Chair, Department of Anesthesia

Mount Sinai South Nassau 
Adhi Sharma, MD, FACEP, FACMT, Executive Vice President, Clinical and Professional Services and Chief Medical Officer

The New Jewish Home 

Westchester Campus
Karunadevi Kandiah, MD, Physician

Community Programs/Certified Home Health Agency
Sally A. Sobolewski, RN, MSN, CPHQ, Director of Clinical Excellence, Community Programs

Manhattan Campus
Yaffa Ungar, Senior Director of Clinical Compliance and Quality Advancement  

Northwell Health 

Donna Armellino, RN, DNP, CIC, Vice President, Infection Prevention

Mark P. Jarrett, MD, MBA, MS, Senior Vice President, Chief Quality Officer, Deputy Chief Medical Officer 

Steve Marzo, CHSP, Assistant Vice President, Safety and Regulatory, Northwell Health Corporate Facilities Services

Michael Oppenheim, MD, VP and Chief Medical Information Officer

NuHealth/Nassau University Medical Center 
Anthony Boutin, MD, FACEP, Interim President and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Medical Officer

NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
Usha Venugopal, MD, Attending Physician, Inpatient Medicine; Program Director, Transitional Year; and Co-Chair, Facility Based Collaboration Council

NYU Langone 

NYU Langone Hospital - Manhattan 
Jennifer Lighter, MD, Hospital Epidemiologist

NYU Langone Hospital - Brooklyn 
Karen DeLorenzo, MSN, RN, CHCR, Director Nursing Quality, Professional Practice, Recruitment and Retention, Magnet Program Director

NYU Winthrop Hospital 
Ulka Kothari, MD, Ambulatory Director of Quality, Department of Pediatrics and Physician Informaticist

One Brooklyn Health System

The Brookdale Hospital Medical Center    
Tracy L. Dowlat, RN, BSN, MHA, Vice President, Clinical Risk Management and Corporate Compliance 

Interfaith Medical Center 
Karen Carey, MPA, CHC, Senior Vice President of Compliance and Quality

Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center 
Myrna S. Tantiado, RN, Director of Quality Management

Parker Jewish Institute for Health Care and Rehabilitation 
Bonita Waites, LPN, Clinical Operations Manager, Parker at Your Door

Richmond University Medical Center 
Brian R. McMahon, MD, FAAP, Chair, Department of Pediatrics

SBH Health System 
Judith J. Berger, MD, Chief, Division of Infectious Diseases

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital 
Terri Coyle, MSW, Vice President of Behavioral Health

St. Mary’s Healthcare System for Children 
Bency Mathew, RN, MSN, DNS-CT, Director of Inpatient Nursing Services and System Director for Quality, Education and Informatics

SOMOS
Ramon Tallaj, MD, Founder and Chairman of the Board

Stamford Health 
Ruth E. Cardiello, RN, MSN, CPHRM, CHC, Senior Vice President, Chief Risk Officer

SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, University Hospital of Brooklyn  
Jaycinth V. Blackman, RN, BSN, MSc/MBA, CPHQ, LSSBB, Director, Quality Assurance/Performance Improvement

Visiting Nurse Service of New York 
Timothy Peng, PhD, Chief Data Analytics Officer

Yale New Haven Health

Bridgeport Hospital 
Darcy Harris, DO, Emergency Medicine, Medical Director, Clinical Operations, Clinical Redesign  

Lawrence + Memorial Hospital and Westerly Hospital 
Donna Nucci, RN, MS, CIC, Manager, Infection Prevention

Greenwich Hospital
Herbert M. Archer, MD, PhD, Medical Director, Hospitalist Service

Yale New Haven Hospital 
Kathleen (Katie) T. O’Leary, RN, MPH, CHES, CPHQ, Vice President, Post-Acute Care Services 

 

 

About United Hospital Fund

United Hospital Fund works to build a more effective health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we analyze public policy to inform decision-makers, find common ground among diverse stakeholders, and develop and support innovative programs that improve the quality, accessibility, affordability, and experience of patient care. For more on our initiatives and programs, please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on Twitter

 

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