Montefiore Medicine names Philip Ozuah new CEO

Dr. Philip O. Ozuah

Montefiore Medicine's Board of Trustees has announced that Dr. Philip O. Ozuah has been named the next CEO of Montefiore Medicine, the umbrella organization for the New York-based Montefiore Health System and Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

Ozuah will officially take the helm on November 15, succeeding Dr. Steven M. Safyer, who is retiring after 40 years. In a statement, Safyer said he's worked alongside Ozuah for 25 years and is leaving the institution "in the best possible hands."

"His appointment as CEO will guarantee a smooth transition, and I know he'll continue to uphold the standard of excellence on which Montefiore has built its reputation," Safyer said.

That reputation is built on Montefiore's medical school, research and technology initiatives and specialized care of the diverse New York population. Ozuah called it a "privilege" to further the organization's mission.

WHAT'S THE IMPACT

Ozuah currently serves as president of Montefiore Health System and previously served as physician-in-chief of the Children's Hospital at Montefiore, where he worked to deliver healthcare access for the underserved.

Under his leadership, U.S. News and World Report has ranked Montefiore Health System's medical specialties in the top 1% of the nation's hospitals and Children's Hospital at Montefiore as one of America's Best Children's Hospitals. Ozuah also spent stints as an NIH-funded investigator and as professor and University Chairman of Pediatrics at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

In these roles, Ozuah expanded access for underserved communities, recruited and cultivated talent, fostered innovations in medical education, and improved financial and operational performance by integrating care across a growing system that sees more than 6 million patient interactions a year.

He was an inductee into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society and was a two-time recipient of the Academic Pediatric Association's Helfer Award for Innovation in Medical Education.

ON THE RECORD

"We are thrilled Dr. Philip Ozuah, a proven senior executive and strong strategic thinker, will lead Montefiore into the next decade," said Dan Tishman, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Montefiore Medicine. "What stood out was his impressive record of success at MHS, his intellect and warmth as a physician, his strength as a leader and manager and his deep commitment to Montefiore's mission."

"It will be a privilege to lead Montefiore Medicine, an organization with a clear purpose -- to heal, to teach, to discover and to advance the health of the communities we serve," said Ozuah. "Ever since first joining Montefiore in 1989, I've been inspired by our institution's commitment to excellence. We are an organization of exceptionally talented and compassionate people. Working closely with the Board, I look forward to continuing to expand inclusive access to state-of-the-art care and to furthering Montefiore's role as a global leader in healthcare and biomedical research."
 

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Email the writer: jeff.lagasse@himssmedia.com