President Message: September 2021
Dear Colleagues:
I hope you are all doing well and taking at least some time to enjoy the fall safely.
I am very excited to serve Northeast Medical Group in my new role as interim president while continuing in my role as chief medical officer. NEMG is a great physician-led organization, committed to excellence and high quality. I look forward to working together to ensure we remain a high-performing clinician group.
For those who don’t know me, I joined NEMG in February 2018, assuming Dr. Arnold DoRosario’s previous role of vice president and CMO. Prior to that, I served as President and CMO for Central Maine Medical Group of Central Maine Healthcare in Lewiston, Maine, where I oversaw the clinical delivery of 480 full-time clinicians at three hospitals and numerous ambulatory sites. Preceding that position, I served as Chief of the Division of Surgical Oncology, with an endowed Chair in Surgical Endocrinology, and Vice Dean of Clinical Affairs at the University of Louisville. I received my bachelor’s degree from Amherst College and attended medical school at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia, PA. I obtained my PhD in Molecular Physiology and Biophysics from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, TN and earned my Master’s in Health Care Management from the Harvard University School of Public Health.
As we continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, I am impressed every day by both the perseverance and dedication to great care provided by our clinicians and staff. Honestly, when any of us went into healthcare, we never contemplated we would be working through a real pandemic; put more succinctly, “we never signed up for this”. Yet, for 18 months we have tirelessly taken care of our patients and their families, often with the recognition of increased risk to ourselves. And we continue to do so as this next wave of COVID appears. Thank you all!
In reflection of your dedication, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize some recent NEMG accomplishments.
In its June issue, Connecticut Magazine featured 89 NEMG physicians and more than 570 physicians affiliated with Yale New Haven Health on its 2021 Top Doctors list. Selected by impartial peer review in over 450 medical specialty/subspecialty combinations, the list includes the nation’s most respected specialists and outstanding primary care physicians. This is a tremendous achievement for both NEMG and Yale New Haven Health and I am very proud of all of you. Please take a moment to view the article and a detailed list of your colleagues who were selected.
NEMG’s Herbert Archer, MD, PhD, and his team of hospitalists at Greenwich Hospital just received the Westchester and Fairfield County Business Journal’s 2021 Doctors of Distinction Team Award. The group of 38 full- and part-time physicians and physician assistants was recognized for their compassionate and devoted care, and for going above and beyond during unprecedented challenges. A virtual award ceremony was held on Sept. 23.
Romelle Maloney, MD, and the Fairfield County Chapter of The Links, Inc. are the inaugural recipients of the Dr. Dickerman Hollister Jr. Community Service Award from the Greenwich Hospital Medical Staff Wellness Committee. The Links is one of the nation’s oldest and largest volunteer service organizations. Read more about this community service award.
Richard Breier, MD, was the subject of a recent article at Yale School of Medicine commending him for 20 years of mentoring YSM primary care students.
NEMG has participated in the Medicare Accountable Care Organization (ACO) since 2015. The program, launched in 2012, is based on three principal pillars - patient experience, quality metrics and cost effectiveness. We were successful in earning shared savings in 2018, 2019 and had a stellar year in 2020 with a quality score of 98.44 out of 100. When compared to the regional performance, NEMG ranked #1 for total savings and #2 for quality performance. This success is a tribute to the entire team of clinicians, operations, analysts and finance.
As you know, YNHHS now requires all members of its workforce (including employees, medical staff, volunteers, students, contractors and traveling staff) to be vaccinated or to have an approved exemption. Although I understand and respect that some might be hesitant to receive this new vaccine, I urge those who did not get vaccinated to do so (especially those who do not have an exemption) for your safety and the safety of our patients. For more information and important deadlines please visit the COVID-19 Vaccination Information Center (in network only).
Your physical and emotional well-being are top priority. To help navigate this challenging time, I urge you to take advantage of the following resources:
- The Employee and Family Resources program offers confidential counseling.
- A variety of helpful options can be found at www.achievesolutions.net/ynhhs (requires network login).
For more information about COVID-19, please visit the following:
Please visit the YNHHS intranet for the most up-to-date information.
Thank you all for your diligent work, resilience and dedication to excellence.
Best Wishes,
Richard Goldstein, MD, PhD, MHCM
Interim President and Chief Medical Officer
Northeast Medical Group
