NEW YORK, NY—May 27, 2021—United Hospital Fund announced today that it has re-appointed Pooja Kothari, RN, MPH, senior program manager for UHF’s Quality Institute, as the Patricia S. Levinson Fellow for 2021. The fellowship was established in 2017 with the generous support of the Robert A. and Patricia S. Levinson Award Fund at The New York Community Trust to advance UHF’s work improving health care for underserved populations.
Ms. Kothari joined UHF in 2017 and plays a central role in developing and managing projects to measure and improve the quality of health care, with a focus on equity. She oversees the Quality Leaders Forum, a joint initiative of UHF and Greater New York Hospital Association, and has authored or co-authored groundbreaking reports on antibiotic stewardship, post-acute care, and consumer decision-making.
Ms. Kothari holds a Master of Public Health from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University, and from the University of Pennsylvania has a Bachelor of Science in economics from the Wharton School and a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the School of Nursing, earned jointly. Prior to joining UHF, she was associate manager for the Antibiotic Resistance Project at The Pew Charitable Trusts.
“Pooja’s focus on improving both quality and equity of health care is the embodiment of the Patricia S. Levinson Fellowship,” said UHF president Anthony Shih, MD, MPH.
Patricia S. Levinson was a vice chair of UHF’s board at the time of her death in 2015. She was an active board member for more than 20 years and involved as a volunteer with UHF for more than 30, with a keen interest in health policy and a deep commitment to quality health care for every New Yorker.
About United Hospital Fund
United Hospital Fund works to build an effective and equitable health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we are a force for improvement, analyzing public policy to inform decision-makers, finding common ground among diverse stakeholders, and developing and supporting innovative programs that improve health and health care. We work to dismantle barriers in health policy and health care delivery that prevent equitable opportunities for health. For more on our initiatives and programs please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on Twitter.