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.