Current Work:
Chief Quality and Patient Safety Officer; Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology, Healthcare Policy and Research, Weill Cornell Medical College Chief
"The languages of medicine and business are different. I now speak both."
Describe what you do.
I work with the leadership of Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian Hospital to support physician-led initiatives focused on improving quality, patient safety and risk management across all clinical departments. Our focus is on consistent delivery of high-quality and high-value medical care, redesign of clinical processes to support patient safety and mitigate risk, and adoption of quality metrics to improve performance.
How did you become interested in Healthcare? What drew you in?
I am a physician specializing in obstetric anesthesiology. What drew me into a leadership position was the realization that my ability to deliver the best possible care to patients was often impacted by systems-level issues. In order to impact those issues, I have had to learn about resource allocation in the same way as someone who runs a business.
What do you enjoy most about your career or positon?
What keeps me going is that people who deliver healthcare want to work in an environment where they have an opportunity to establish meaningful connections with their patients. I enjoy the process of optimizing that environment, because it creates joy for both patients and providers.
How has your CBS experience influenced your career?
My MBA from CBS has allowed me to participate more effectively in systems-level leadership at my organization. The languages of medicine and business are different. I now speak both.
What is your favorite CBS memory, such as a favorite professor, spot on campus, or social event?
My favorite CBS memory is learning from in-class discussion between my professors and super-smart classmates.
As a leader in healthcare, what qualities do you look for when hiring new MBA graduates?
MBA graduates looking for careers in healthcare should have a deep appreciation for the work of caring for patients. Also, since medicine and people are so complex, they must have a strong ability to listen and access the talents of others while driving organizational change in a way that respects the local culture.
What would you say to a prospective student considering CBS and the HPM Program?
Think carefully about what you are going to tell future employers about how CBS added value to your education. What did you get better at? And why was that important?