Corporate Social Responsibility Awards for Healthcare, Hospitals & Pharmaceuticals by City & State

ALTHC A R E

SPITAL

09/15 1

PHAR

EUT

ICALS

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

commercial banking | private banking

SEPTEMBER 2015

Leumi is a proud sponsor of City & State Reports and congratulates the 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility honorees for their contribution to the Healthcare, Hospitals & Pharmaceuticals industries. We admire your dedication to the city of New York and the contributions you make.

Congratulations Robert Amler Frank Branchini Peter M. Fleischut M.D. Edward C. Fraser, MHA Ben Geyerhahn Ann Goldman Steven Henry

Mei Mei Hu George Hulse Emma Li-Xu Anne Nolon Paul D. Vitale, MPA, FACHE Arthur Webb

Leumi leumiusa.com

Paul Letourneau 579 Fifth Avenue | New York, NY 10017 Tel: 917.542.2343 | Tel: 800.892.5430 paul.letourneau@leumiusa.com

Bank Leumi USA速 is an FDIC insured, New York State chartered bank.

CS0015_FP.indd 1

9/16/15 11:42 AM

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

CHAIRMAN’S AWARD FOR LIFETIME OF WORK IN THE FIELD OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILIT Y

O STANLEY S. LITOW Vice President For Corporate Citizenship And Corporate Affairs, Ibm; President, Ibm International Foundation

ver the last several years, corporate citizenship programs have begun to refocus their efforts from “responsibility” to “opportunity.” In other words, companies now realize that they can effect positive societal results by applying much more than cash, contributing their time, talent and technology to the common (and uncommon) challenges faced by people around the world. By intertwining corporate citizenship with business strategy, companies can advance their business goals while bringing about real, sustainable change, going from spare change to real change. The ability of corporations to positively influence the direction of society did not appear overnight. From the late 19th century through the latter part of the 20th century, corporate philanthropy grew from the largesse of wealthy individuals into strategic corporate giving and more community-minded business practices in such areas as supply chain sourcing and mitigating impacts on the environment. Today, as corporations address their citizenship responsibilities in a global context, they need to work with a variety of public and private-sector partners, and civil society, to pursue practical solutions to challenges no single entity can overcome alone. Some guiding principles to consider when implementing citizenship programs that deliver real value include: • Building broader partnerships that allow participation by stakeholders outside of the corporation. • Reaching beyond so-called checkbook philanthropy to contribute a company’smost valued assets – including its top talent and core competencies. • Seizing opportunities to develop new relationships and build global leadership skills through programs that enhance the communities in which one serves. In a changing and interconnected world with increasingly diminished resources, each of us should be committed in making sustainable civic, societal and economic improvements – not just creating short-term goodwill. As we continue to shape the post-philanthropic era, we move beyond the notion of shared value to create real value by helping citizens, governments, nonprofits and other companies build a smarter planet. This column originally appeared on the website Citizen IBM.

Capalino+Company Is Proud to Support City & State’s Corporate Social Responsibility Awards Congratulations to the honorees for their outstanding work in New York’s Healthcare, Hospitals and Pharmaceuticals Sectors

James Capalino Chief Executive Officer

Travis Terry Chief Operating Officer

Jeanne Mullgrav Executive VP Corporate Social Responsibility

Cathleen Collins Senior VP Corporate Social Responsibility

The Woolworth Building • 233 Broadway, Suite 710 • New York, NY 10279 www.capalino.com • 212.616.5810 • contact@capalino.com • @capalino

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

SEPTEMBER 2015

THE ‘BUMPY RIDE’ TO VALUE-BASED HEALTH CARE By JON LENTZ

here is little disagreement that New York is taking steps in the right direction with its ambitious initiative to improve health care, reduce unnecessary hospital visits and shift payments to reward actual results instead of volume of medical services.

But even though the state has already achieved substantial cost savings since launching the initiative through the formation of the Medicaid Redesign Team in 2011, there is still plenty to do—and major question marks and issues to be worked out. “It’s going to be a bumpy ride, there’s no question about that,” said Jason Helgerson, the state Medicaid director. “What it’s going to mean is there is going to be consolidation, there’s going to have to be closure of certain services, and those services are going to have to be replaced with other services that better meet the needs of the community.” Helgerson, who spoke at City & State’s Future of Health Care in New York conference Wednesday morning, noted that the state has already cut costs since he launched the MRT process four years ago, recently bringing per-recipient Medicaid spending back to 2003 levels. As a result, New York secured a Medicaid waiver from the federal government that will allow some of the savings to be used to promote a state-level shift to value-based payments. Driving the initiative is the $6.4 billion Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment program, which rewards health care providers for improved care. New York officially launched its DSRIP program in April, and awards will be announced shortly for Performing Provider Systems, the groups of hospitals, doctors, health centers and others that have banded together to cut costs. The state’s goal is for 80 to 90 percent of Medicaid payments to be value-based arrangements by the end of the five-year DSRIP period, and for reforms to ultimately expand beyond the public sector. “We need to start reimbursing providers when they collectively are successful,” Helgerson said. “The problem with the majority of how health care is paid for today is that the more you do, the more you get paid, whether or not the patient got better, whether or not there were good outcomes, whether the service was effective or not. Really very little of our total payment in health care is actually tied to performance, and we need to change that.” Yet there are a number of unanswered questions sur-

rounding the process, from defining “value” to dealing with the financial risks of failing to meet performance goals in a new era of accountability. The chance to take advantage of shared savings or grants aimed at spurring reform is welcomed by many in the health care industry, but some observers say providers are wary of agreeing to get paid less if they fail to control costs or improve care. Helgerson said the next step is to spur the wholesale adoption of value-based payments. Initially, a PPS can keep about half of the money it saves through various reforms. Later, it could choose to accept greater risk—such as losing payments if it fails to meet benchmarks—but enjoy greater potential rewards, perhaps up to 90 percent of future cost savings. “You have the risk associated with if you don’t perform, so we don’t want people to get there too quickly,” Helgerson said. “But I suspect that once people begin to make the investments in the strategies, they begin to change how they’re behaving and the way they’re treating patients, and the way they’re addressing population health, that they will want to get from level one to level two pretty quickly, because they won’t want to see savings generated by their efforts going out of their institutions, out of their provider groupings.” Another question is how quality care will be defined, and how uniform the definitions will be across the entire health care system. As insurers and others define quality differently, a doctor or hospital dealing with multiple plans might have a hodgepodge of goals to meet and keep track of. Helgerson said that uniformity versus flexibility is one of “the most challenging tradeoffs that we’re dealing with.” The argument for uniformity is that having a single system is appealing to health clinics dealing with a wide array of insurance companies. More flexibility, however, allows larger or more sophisticated providers to tailor their plans to their own needs. What’s more, different communities have different needs, bolstering the case for flexibility. Federally qualified health centers, as a group, are trying to develop a standardized approach to value-based payment, and others could follow suit. In New York, the current plan is to offer a menu of choices that people can pick from. “We’re trying to set the right balance between those two very reasonable perspectives,” Helgerson said. “I think at the end of the day, and in certain settings, we’re going to end up with more uniformity.”

Congratulations to all of the honorees whose hard work, dedication and selfless efforts set an example for all New Yorkers. Kasirer Consulting salutes their well-deserved honor and recognition.

SURI KASIRER JULIE GREENBERG OMAR ALVARELLOS CYNTHIA DAMES ASHLEY DENNIS TRACY FLETCHER TYESA GALLOWAY JASON GOLDMAN SAMANTHA JONES MICHAEL KREVET PETER KROKONDELAS SHANE MYERS

Please visit our new home on the web: www.kasirerconsulting.nyc 321 Broadway, Ste 201, New York, NY 10007 Tel: (212) 285-1800 Email: info@kasirerconsulting.nyc

JERVONNE SINGLETARY

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

A TOUGH SELL HHC CEO PL ANS TO INCREASE REVENUE THROUGH BETTER SERVICE By MICHAEL GARETH JOHNSON

D R. R AM ANATHAN RA JU President and CEO of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation

he New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation has a projected budget gap of $618 million for the next fiscal year. Independent analysis by the Citizens Budget Commission suggests that will grow to $1.5 billion by 2019.

You’d think that dire-sounding picture would have Dr. Ramanathan Raju, president and CEO of HHC, depressed. But speaking at City & State’s Future of Health Care forum, Raju was upbeat about his plan to turn around the financial situation, which hinges on an agencywide improvement of services, allowing the corporation to compete with private hospitals for more patients. “I can lament about how bad it is or I can keep crying and nothing is going to happen,” Raju said. But Raju has instead chosen to focus his efforts on making the hospital experience better so that more patients come through their doors. This plan has been met with criticism, specifically in the City Council, but Raju points to his previous job at Cook County Health and Hospitals System in Chicago as a guide of how setting optimistic goals can help turn a facility’s deficit into a surplus. “We need to give our employees a goal, a vision, a direction, and to move

towards that,” Raju said. “I hope we all get there.” The goal that Raju has laid out is to have HHC facilities treat 1 in 4 New Yorkers by the year 2020. Right now the system provides services to about 1 in 6 city residents. One of the reasons for this positive vision was the passage of the Affordable Care Act. Raju said the ACA has opened the door for many more Americans to get access to health insurance, which has in turn created a more competitive market for hospitals. It has also created an opportunity for HHC. “The ACA actually opened up a lot of opportunities for us. One is our MetroPlus (health plan) that allows us to compete on the exchange level. The health plan gives us an opportunity to get more patients in the system.” Raju said he would like to see enrollment in the MetroPlus health plan increase from just under 500,000 members to 625,000 by next year—with a goal of reaching 1 million insured by 2020.

Congratulations to our President/CEO Joseph Stamm and all Corporate Social Responsibility Award honorees MedReview Inc. is a company that provides healthcare audits for the healthcare industry. The company has saved its clients over $1 billion since it was founded 40 years ago. AUDITS & REVIEWS • DRG Coding validation • Cost outlier review • HEDIS/QARR review • Independent medical review • Readmission review

UTILIZATION MANAGEMENT • Ambulatory pre-certification • Inpatient pre-certification • Case management • Retrospective review

QUALITY SURVEILLANCE • Adult care facilities • Nursing home complaints • Licensed home care service agencies • AIDS Institute • WeCARE

INDEPENDENT MEDICAL EVALUATIONS • Liability • Workers comp • No-fault • RAD review

www.medreview.us MedReview091115_FP.indd 1

9/11/15 4:48 PM

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

SEPTEMBER 2015

on children and—working closely with other city agencies—taking a more holistic approachto the city’s health problems. Below is an edited transcript of the conversation she had with City & State Executive Editor Michael Johnson.

D R. M AR Y T R AVIS B ASSET T is commissioner of the city Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

A BROADER VIEW OF HEALTH A Q&A WITH DR. MARY TRAVIS BASSETT

here are few people with as much experience in the New York City health community as Dr. Mary Travis Bassett. Appointed commissioner in 2014, she has more than a decade of experience working for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, helping to improve access to quality care in the city’s underserved neighborhoods. At City & State’s recent Future of Health Care forum she talked about how she is continuing that effort by focusing

City & State: How is the department tackling the issue of social justice? Mary Travis Bassett: When New Yorkers picked Bill de Blasio to be mayor we all elevated the conversation about income inequality on a national level and began talking about the ways in which the divisions in our city were making all of us pay a price. For me as health commissioner this means talking about the vast differences in health outcomes and survival itself by neighborhood. I think I, and many of us here, would agree that it is unjust that (residents of) Brownsville (in Brooklyn) have a life expectancy that is 11 years shorter than in Murray Hill (in Manhattan). I start out by putting a focus on children, our youngest and most vulnerable New Yorkers, and talking about ways we need to recapture public health’s commitment to childhood. And we need to focus on the vast inequality in health by neighborhoods. As a public health doctor I don’t see health as simply an outcome of health care services. Health is a much broader social outcome than that. C&S: Approaching the problem neighborhood by neighborhood can be seen as divisive. How do you respond to that charge? MTB: New York City is a very segregated city. This is something I say based on the data, obviously in public health but really all the work we do in city government, we have to begin with the data. By numbers of measures New York is among the most racially segregated (cities) in the United States. And by the measure of income inequality New York

is more unequal than other cities in the nation. This is something we have to confront. The fact that we can go neighborhood by neighborhood is because we are a segregated city. And the fact that we need to raise up some neighborhoods should not be taken as we want to push down others. We want every neighborhood in this city to be a healthy neighborhood. C&S: The de Blasio administration has been actively tackling homelessness through multiple agencies, including the Health Department. What specifically is your department doing? MTB: Eighteen hundred babies are born in shelters each year, so recently in our new budget—the executive budget contains funding for a newborn home visiting program. Our agency has conducted these for years in East and Central Harlem, the Bronx and central Brooklyn and we are adding to that a newborn home visiting program that specifically targets shelters. We use it to ensure that that mom is connected to services. That they know certain facts about sleeping, having the child in a safe environment, and I think it is a way that we will make sure these kids in very difficult circumstances get all the benefits they are entitled to.

Thanks for making a difference. Congratulations to the Corporate Social Responsibility Awards recipients for Healthcare & Pharmaceuticals.

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

TECHNOLOGY, TELECOMMUNICATIONS & NEW MEDIA AWARDS

SEPTEMBER 2015

City & State Reports honored outstanding professionals from New York’s technology, telecommunications and new media sectors on July 29 at Hunter College. Honorees included industry leaders like AOL Chairman Tim Armstrong, Sabey Data Centers President John Sabey and IBM Vice President of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Affairs Stanley Litow. They Keynote speaker was New York City’s Chief Technology Officer Minerva Tantoco. City & State Reports presented a $10,000 donation to the nonprofit organization, Nontraditional Employment for Women (NEW).

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

PETER FLEISCHUT ASSOCIATE CHIEF INNOVATION OFFICER, NEW YORK-PRESBYTERIAN HOSPITAL Vanguard Award for Using Technology to Improve the Patient Experience

hether the patient is you or your loved one, hospital stays can overwhelm even the most even-keeled among us. As technologies and treatments continue to evolve, the volume of information surrounding patient care – and the need to communicate that information to health care workers, families and patients themselves – has grown exponentially. In his role as associate chief innovation officer at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, Dr. Peter Fleischut has become a leader in developing technological cures for this growing prevalence of data. In the process, he’s transformed the patient experience. “Engaged and empowered patients are not only happier,” Fleischut said, “they recover quicker as well.” Amid the dense thicket of records, metrics and measurements, sometimes the simple solution is the most visionary. “Through the use of just simple texting, we can keep patients families’ informed and up to date about every step of their loved one’s process,” Fleischut explained. And while the auto-text system keeps their families informed, patients can make use of bedside tablets and electronic whiteboards to track their own data. “Our whole premise is to be more effective, efficient and patient-centered,” he added. Fleischut’s passion for yoking new technologies to health initiatives dates back to his student days maintaining electronic medical systems. Later, he founded the Center for Perioperative Outcomes in the Weill Cornell Medical College, where he is an associate professor of anesthesiology. Health care faces particular challenges in adopting the

“culture of innovation” that other industries have embraced: Medical professionals must constantly balance the complex challenges of their work with the need to maintain patient data as securely as possible. Over the past decade, Fleischut has worked extensively on the hospital’s IT systems to enhance operations and the quality of care. To help foster collaboration between technical and clinical teams in developing new patient-centric technologies, Fleischut recently organized an open challenge – InnovateNYP – in which 31 teams participated. One of the winners came up with MedChat, a mobile app that enables medical staff to communicate patient information more efficiently. The ultimately goal is to produce a suite of technologies that can benefit all patients and address their unique, individual needs. Through Fleischut’s steady dedication, that day may come soon.

1 80 0 AT TOR NEYS | 37 LOCAT IONS WOR LDWID E˚

We join in recognizing the 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility honorees for their outstanding work in New York’s Healthcare, Hospital & Pharma Sectors. At Greenberg Traurig we share your dedication to the citizens of New York City and the commitment to uphold the principles that make New York a beautiful city to live and work.

C ONGR AT U LAT IONS ! Robert Amler, M.D. Frank Branchini Peter M. Fleischut, M.D. Edward Fraser

Ben Geyerhahn Ann Goldman Steven Henry

Mei Mei Hu George Hulse Emma Li-Xu Anne Nolon

Joseph B. Stamm Paul D. Vitale Arthur Webb

Greenberg Traurig’s Health & FDA Practice provides strategic legal counsel to many health care organizations, helping them respond proactively to the rapidly changing marketplace. Our New York and Albany-based health care attorneys provide government affairs and lobbying services to clients on a legal, legislative and policy level. Our attorneys also regularly handle transactions and ongoing regulatory matters for clients, including acquisitions, joint ventures and a variety of matters for national and regional clients. Health & FDA Business: Harold Iselin | Francis Serbaroli Government Law & Policy: John Mascialino | Ed Wallace | Robert Harding GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP | METLIFE BUILDING | 200 PARK AVENUE | NEW YORK, NY 10166 | 212.801.9200

GREENBERG TRAURIG, LLP | ATTORNEYS AT LAW | WWW.GTLAW.COM Greenberg Traurig is a service mark and trade name of Greenberg Traurig, LLP and Greenberg Traurig, P.A. ©2015 Greenberg Traurig, LLP. Attorneys at Law. All rights reserved. Contact: Ed Wallace, John Mascialino in New York at 212.801.9200. °These numbers are subject to fluctuation. 25962

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

PAUL VITALE PRESIDENT AND CEO, BRIGHTPOINT HEALTH Special Leadership Award for Outstanding Care of People in Need

ew York City’s homeless shelters have more occupants today than at any time since the Great Depression – a bleak picture that poses a serious public health challenge. Fortunately, this is where individuals like Paul Vitale step in. The president and chief executive officer of Brightpoint Health considers it his duty to make sure that even the most disadvantaged New Yorkers have access to quality health care. “Our job is to keep the community healthy,” Vitale said. “It’s a tough job. Not everyone wants the help. So you have to do it tenderly at times.” To provide care for the city’s most vulnerable citizens – the disengaged and disenfranchised – Vitale relies on a humanistic approach. This means everything from making sure a patient is taking his medications on time to providing mental health services to a person in crisis. The result might be an AIDS patient receiving care in time to avoid an emergency hospital stay, or intervening to keep a past offender out of prison. Integrated care is Brightpoint’s modus operandi. At one location in East New York, for instance, the organization set up GED classes upstairs for students with addiction and other health issues. Patients from the homeless population may suffer from mental health problems, diabetes, asthma, substance abuse or HIV/AIDS, but at Brightpoint they’ll always be treated according to the organization’s comprehensive model. “We’ll have the psychiatrists talking to the medical doctor, coming together to find the best solution for each patient,” explained Vitale, under whose leadership the organization has expanded to 15 locations

throughout the five boroughs, serving 40,000 New Yorkers each year. What makes Vitale’s work at Brightpoint truly stand out, however, are the wrap-around services the organization provides – services not funded by Medicaid. Services that go above and beyond. Since three-quarters of the clients Brightpoint serves are homeless, Vitale has been inventive in devising ways for patients to access care. Sixteen vans, for instance, pick clients up at shelters across the five boroughs. In the health center waiting rooms, patients have a chance to shower and are then served a healthy breakfast or lunch. If an executive from headquarters passes a patient in the corridor of one of the health centers, he or she is required to say hello. “Preventative care is very important,” Vitale said, “but it’s how you approach it – well, that’s the most important thing.”

Healthfirst is proud to support

City & State Reports and your

2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards Breakfast Congratulations to our very own George Hulse on his Special Leadership Award!

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

ANNE GOLDMAN VICE PRESIDENT FOR NON-DOE MEMBERS, UNITED FEDERATION OF TEACHER Outstanding Achievement in Promoting the Nursing Profession and the Patients Nurses Serve

nne Goldman has a unique perspective when it comes to health care. An early leader in the movement to win collective-bargaining rights for nurses in New York City, and a former practicing nurse herself, Goldman believes that health care, at its core, is about individuals providing individualized care. “We are individuals with different needs,” she said. “We have to offer individual support when people need it and in the way they need it.” In her position with the United Federation of Teachers, where she serves as vice president of non-DOE workers, Goldman represents more than 45,000 non-DOE workers in New York City public schools. She also speaks for more than 16,000 nurses in her role as special representative for the Federation of Nurses/ UFT, an organization affiliated with but autonomous from the UFT. When Goldman first got involved with labor issues – helping to bring registered nurses at Lutheran Medical Center into the union – she was still in her 20s. “I learned I could not make change, no matter how proficient and great I thought I was, without collective bargaining political power,” she said. In the ensuing years Goldman has fought to ensure her members can provide the best possible services in the most inclusive possible settings. She has also continually advocated for broader access to education and quality health care for all New Yorkers. “We have seen incredible things like microsurgery, neurosurgery,” Goldman said. “Everything has progressed – but it’s not for every-

one. People do not have access and, despite great improvements under the Affordable Care Act, we’re still not there yet.” Goldman has long advocated for improving diversity within the health care arena. She has championed women’s equality and improving diversity through recruitment, as well as a culturally inclusive mentoring program for those new to the field. And therein, for Goldman, lies one critical intersection between her roles representing those in the increasingly diverse health and education fields. Goldman said, “If people do not have a basis for learning, if they lack language competencies, and if we cannot communicate the challenges of keeping people well, then responding to health care needs and preventing disease is impossible.”

A single conversation with a wise person is better than 10 years of study

-Chinese proverb

Make a real difference in the developing world by giving just 45 minutes as a member of the Ducere Global Faculty. The Global Faculty are interviewed on film...

...for approximately forty-five minutes...

... which is then used to educate students studying Ducere leadership, business and government qualifications, worldwide.

Join over 150 Ducere Global Faculty Leaders, including: Hon. John Howard OM, AC Prime Minister, Australia

Ms Kay Koplovitz Founder, USA Networks

Archbishop Desmond Tutu Nobel Peace Prize (1984)

Jeff Gural Chairman, Newmark Grubb Knight Frank

His Excellency Sir Ketumile Masire GCMG President, Republic of Botswana (1980â&#x20AC;&#x201C;1998)

James Capalino Founder, Capalino+Company

Baroness Valerie Amos PC Under-Secretary-General, United Nations

Robert George Associate Editorial Page Editor, NY Post

David Dinkins Mayor, New York City (1990-1993)

Jeff Parness Founder, New York Says Thank You Foundation

Prof. Robert S. Kaplan Professor, Management Practice, Harvard Business School

and many other thought leaders, industry experts, philanthropists and entrepreneurs.

For more information on the Ducere Global Faculty contact jordani@ducere.co

www.ducere.co

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

F R ANK BR ANCHIN I CHAIRMAN, EMBLEMHEALTH Lifetime Achievement Award

mblemHealth was born out of a mission – or two. Frank Branchini served as CEO of GHI before the company merged with HIP to form what is today EmblemHealth. Under Branchini’s leadership, EmblemHealth has built upon the HIP and GHI goals to provide holistic, quality health care, insurance and services to low- and middle-income New Yorkers. GHI and HIP, Branchini is proud to point out, were among the first companies to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs when it wasn’t “fashionable” to do so, and other insurers stayed away. A not-for-profit corporation, EmblemHealth has no shareholders, so any “historical excesses” or surpluses get returned to participating members in various ways: as additional benefits, investment in health care for the community, or lower premiums. “The fact is that as a not-for-profit you are recirculating money within the system and playing a much more collaborative role with the providers of health care,” Branchini explained. With EmblemHealth, members have access to its highly regarded AdvantageCare Physicians program and HIP’s long-standing network of medical centers. However, perhaps the real benefit for members comes in the form of assistance in dealing with the many hidden challenges of the health care system. That can mean special physicians referrals or counseling for members struggling to address their medical issues. “That is something you wouldn’t get in traditional health plans,” Branchini said. “That’s a conscious effort on

behalf of Emblem to recognize the difficulty of navigating health care, and looking at the totality of the needs of the patient – not just the acute health care issue.” Although he recently passed the baton as EmblemHealth’s CEO, Branchini will remain as chairman of the board, a role that allows him to continue pursuing his mission of helping everyday New Yorkers navigate their way through the health care system. Over the course of his remarkable career, Branchini has served on the boards of numerous nonprofits, including the Starlight Children’s Foundation, the American Arbitration Association and the New York Junior Tennis League. He also is the recipient of a multitude of awards and honors, including the United Hospital Fund’s Distinguished Trustee Award, the Boy Scouts of America Good Scout and Health Care Leadership awards, the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, and the Jewish National Fund’s Tree of Life Award, among many others. Indeed, a job well done!

AlliedBarton Security Services is a proud sponsor of City & State Reports and Congratulates the Health Care & Pharmaceuticals Corporate Responsibility Awards Recipients 212.328.0209 | www.AlliedBarton.com/NewYork

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

G ARY BUT T S CHIEF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER, MOUNT SINAI HEALTH SYSTEMS Distinguished Service Award for Excellence in Mentoring, Diversity and the Provision of Affordable Health Care

ince employing a diverse medical staff is paramount to providing first-rate health care in a city like New York, providers must find ways to develop sustainable pipelines of talent representative of their ever-shifting mosaic of patients. “This is a particular challenge with specialties like medicine and subspecialties in the field,” explained Dr. Gary Butts, chief diversity and inclusion officer for the Mount Sinai Health System. “It helps make the case for focusing on earlier points in the pipelines to medicine.” The pipelines that Butts oversees span from middle school through the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, where he serves as senior associate dean for diversity, programs, policy and community affairs. Those same college-ready, underrepresented students, in turn, will often move on from the medical school to hospitals in the Mount Sinai Health System – one of the largest health care systems in New York. In total, Butts oversees 15 programmatic areas with objectives such as recruiting and developing diverse medical workforce talent, contracting with diverse medical suppliers, and conducting research on health care disparities among different ethnic populations. In the 1990s, Butts served as deputy commissioner at the New York City Department of Health, leading programs that increased citywide immunization completion rates for 2-year-olds from 40 percent to above 90 percent. He also oversaw efforts to reduce infant mortality rates in the city from double-digit rates to below 6 percent. In his 15-year tenure as associate dean at

Mount Sinai, Butts has seen the underrepresented minority population at the School of Medicine increase to 20 percent, and the number of underrepresented house staff throughout the hospital system more than double. “Diversity in a health care workforce benefits everyone,” Butts said. “It is clearly important that at the bedside we must be positioned to be as responsive as possible to the varying needs of our diverse patient populations.” Employing a culturally sensitive staff capable of responding to language and other barriers can only benefit patients. With seven hospitals and a medical school under his purview, Butts’ diversifying efforts are far-reaching. “It’s a large system, and it is important that we target all the access points across the system for us to address patients’ needs as best we can,” Butts said. By cultivating relationships among top-level professionals throughout the medical school and the system’s hospitals, Butts has laid the foundation for meaningful success in bolstering diversity and, by extension, quality patient care outcomes at Mount Sinai. “Good diversity work requires tremendous commitment by institutional leadership from the very top, done consistently over time,” Butts said. “Diversity is an important driver to help support an outstanding institution like Mount Sinai become even better.”

Manhattan Plaza

Hunter’s Point South

North Park

Victory-Fiedler Apartments

Gateway Apartments

New Horizons

529 West 29th St

Building neighBorhoods And enhAncing communities Related Companies is proud to have contributed to our city’s diverse and vibrant communities for over four decades. From the waterfront of Queens to midtown Manhattan and the southern tip of Brooklyn, we have developed or preserved nearly 8,500 units of affordable & workforce housing across all five boroughs... and we are just getting started. related.com

The Caroline

Bradhurst Court

French Apartments

Terrific Tenements

Ocean Park

Manhattan Tower

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

M EI M EI HU CO-CEO, UNITED BIOMEDICAL, INC Special Innovation Award for Bringing Life-Saving Drugs to Market Efficiently and Affordably

ragic but true: Most of us know someone suffering from Alzheimer’s, a debilitating disease and the sixth-leading cause of death in the United States. Despite the fact that more than 5 million Americans are currently afflicted with Alzheimer’s – a number that is soon expected to triple – far more resources are allocated to find the cure of other diseases such as cancer and HIV/AIDS. Sadly, potential cures to many other major diseases are stymied by lack of funding for clinical trials. “Great treatments have been sitting on the sidelines for years,” said Mei Mei Hu, founder of Give to Cure. As co-CEO of United Biomedical, Hu has seen how the pharmaceutical industry can allow some promising drugs to languish – which is why she turned to crowdfunding for help. “We actually call it ‘cure-funding,’” Hu explained. “It’s a marriage of two ideas: engaging the public and moving forward with good medical research.” Launched last year, the GTC website allows anyone to make a donation that will help fund a clinical trial – the crucial stage in medical research, according to Hu. A trial can proceed once a sufficient amount of online donations have arrived, with GTC keeping individual donors up to date on the progress and the outcomes of testing. “We tell people that they can have a direct impact,” Hu said. An independent scientific advisory committee is responsible for selecting which trials GTC will fund, with prospective treatments identified solely by their chances for

success. Profit is not a factor. Since Hu’s funding model is completely transparent, donors can be sure that 100 percent of their money will go directly toward the trial they have chosen to support. To get the word about trials out to the public, Hu has made use of every available platform: social and traditional media, strategic partnerships and support groups, as well as good old-fashioned word of mouth. GTC’s first request for proposals targeting Alzheimer’s received responses from more than a dozen countries – not surprising, considering the social and economic impact of the disease. According to Hu, Alzheimer’s cost the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars last year. And that’s without even factoring in the human cost on those afflicted and their families. “This gives people the ability to put their money where their hearts are,” Hu said.

WE CONGRATULATE EmblemHealth congratulates Frank Branchini on receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award. For 30 years, Frank Branchini had a long and distinguished career at GHI and EmblemHealth as President and CEO. He was committed to serving the health needs of New York’s working men and women, seniors and the underserved while furthering EmblemHealth’s mission — to provide members with access to quality, affordable health care. We salute City & State Reports for promoting Corporate Social Responsibility and shining a light on the companies that put the values of Corporate Social Responsibility into practice. We know that care is at the heart of every successful community. Thank you for the care you have shown to us all.

emblemhealth.com

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

A R T HUR WEBB GROUP LEADER, ARTHUR WEBB GROUP Distinguished Achievement in Promoting Affordable Health Care Throughout the New York Region

ew York state is carrying out an ambitious overhaul of Medicaid through the implementation of managed care, a system where primary care practitioners coordinate the provision of longterm care for enrolled members. Since 2011, the state has enrolled close to 130,000 New Yorkers in the program – a figure expected to reach nearly 6 million. Needless to say, providers have their work cut out for them as they adapt to the revamped system. “We’re getting them ready to understand how to better use their information, how to better understand the clinical needs of individuals, how to get ready for payment reform and new performance measurement standards,” said Arthur Webb, whose firm offers clients innovative models to translate public policy into best practices. And who more ideal to help providers meet these challenges than an experienced public servant who has dedicated decades to finding innovative ways to serve patients’ individual needs? “Health care has been so organized around silos,” Webb said. “The thing that I’ve been working on for years is to break down those silos and build an integrated approach to meet those needs.” Over the course of his distinguished career, Webb has gained wide recognition for developing effective care systems for the most vulnerable populations. As a public official, Webb served in a series of top posts, including as acting state commissioner of the Department of Social Services. Webb has also served as president and chief executive of

the long-term care organization, Village Care of New York, and as COO of the former St. Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center of New York. Across that impressive trajectory, one common thread connects every endeavor: enfranchising those who have been left behind, either because of income, medical conditions or neighborhood. “An individual with very complex needs will require a whole variety of supports from housing to social support, legal support, health support. What’s key is to find ways to coordinate those services so the individual doesn’t fall through the cracks,” Webb explained. Over the years Webb has witnessed – and helped bring about – some notable changes. Many people with mental health needs and developmental disabilities, for instance, receive access to levels of care they could not access not long ago. Even so, Webb sees plenty of room for improvement. “Many people continue to live in poverty. The country is growing older, and we haven’t developed a capacity to provide a decent and comfortable life for that population,” he said. “I still see some major gaps, and we need to continue finding ways to reach individuals who have complex needs.” Webb plans to devote the remainder of his career to that mission.

Better Care Better Health Better Communities HRHCare couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be more proud of the visionary leadership of Anne Nolon and her commitment to ensuring that everyone has access to high quality health care in their communities.

www.hrhcare.org Serving Communities Since 1975 AmeniA AmiTYViLLe BeAcon BRenTWooD coRAm DoVeR PLAins Goshen GReenPoRT hAVeRsTRAW huDson monTiceLLo neW PALTz PAT c h o G u e P e e k s k i L L P i n e P L A i n s P o u G h k e e P s i e s h i R L e Y souThAmPTon

sPRinG VALLeY

WALDen

WYAnDAnch

YonkeRs

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

EDWARD F RAS E R REGIONAL DIRECTOR, COMMUNITY RELATIONS, NORTH SHORE-LIJ HEALTH SYSTEM Outstanding Achievement in Corporate Volunteerism and Community Engagement

here are outreach teams that go into a community and then leave. There are also those that go in and return, time and time again. Edward Fraser leaves little doubt about which of those categories his team belongs in. “The key is execution,” he said. “We go finish the work, and when we’re done we follow through. These are partners we revisit.” Whether that partner is a local church or library, a public school or senior center, whether Fraser and his team are offering glucose or skin cancer screenings, free blood pressure exams, flu shots, Narcan workshops, hand-washing or distracted-driving lectures, stroke or mental health awareness talks or nutritional workshops, organizing a talent show for LGBT teens or attending a veterans gala or women’s health fair – and the list goes on – Fraser and his team follow through. Several days a week, week after week, year after year, Fraser makes the rounds. “Throughout the years, people have given us their email addresses, so we are able to reach out to those groups again,” Fraser said. “Even if we aren’t in the area, we stay in constant communication, and invite them to events in other areas too.” That all communities are visited, and none – especially those that may be underserved to begin with – are left behind, is of critical importance to Fraser. His team encounters people who are undocumented or live in fear and lack access to essential health services. All receive help. North Shore-LIJ outreach directors have joined dozens of chambers

of commerce – Fraser sits on the board of three. Through those organizations, Fraser is able to find out what the areas of greatest need are within a particular community, as well as which local organizations will make good partners and, finally, how he and his team can help out. Even on a recent sunny morning, at the tail end of summer, Fraser found himself on Ocean Beach, Fire Island. Was he taking in the sun, wading through the surf? No way. There was work to be done. “While you’re at the beach, a lot of stuff happens, and people really don’t have anywhere to go,” Fraser explained. “We have a doctor, a nurse practitioner, a PA. It’s four hours a day, seven days a week. We do stitching, tick bites – lots of different things.”

The Arthur Webb Group is pleased to participate in the City & State Report event. Congratulations to City & State Reports for recognizing the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility.

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

R O B ER T AM LE R VICE PRESIDENT AND DEAN, NEW YORK MEDICAL COLLEGE Chairman’s Award

hat a person experiences during childhood can remain with them for a lifetime – the memories, the joys, but also the ill effects of environmental degradation. Nearly two decades ago, Dr. Robert Amler began the process of creating the first the pediatric environmental health specialty units, now known as PEHSU. A former chief medical officer at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Amler wanted families living near toxic waste sites, or within an area affected by a spill, to know where they could go for help. The problem, Amler realized, was that a pediatrician might lack the latest information about the effects of chemical exposure, while a toxicologist might not be aware of every particular aspect of children’s health. Practitioners of occupational and environmental medicine likewise had their own specializations to contribute. “There were three very different disciplines of medicine and health care that had to combine their talents to help families with small children,” Amler said. Funded through federal seed money, the first PEHSU centers opened in 1997, with the goal of giving specialists in each of those disciplines direct access to each other’s expertise – a crowdsourcing of sorts. “You have to take things that are related but not yet connected and begin to connect them,” Amler said. PEHSU centers are capable of disseminating critical information before a crisis strikes. Specialists at PEHSU centers examine and provide care for children who may have been exposed to toxic materials. They can

make a plan and, most importantly, educate primary care physicians and nurse practitioners so that they understand what the key challenges are and how to assist families in need. The PEHSU centers proved so effective that Congress allocated another $20 million to continue developing and operating centers across the country. Today PEHSU centers are typically associated with an academic medical center. They can also be connected to local hospitals, poison control centers or occupational/environmental health centers. PEHSU centers have served tens of thousands of families around the country, and prove to be an especially valuable national resource in the event of a chemical spill or other environmental problem. These days, Amler works to imbue young people with the same spirit of public service that has driven his own efforts in population health, preventative medicine and environmental safety. At New York Medical College, his public health students must work at least 140 hours on a civic project. His public health and physical therapy students perform volunteer work for local organizations, running in the Race for Rehab or training TSA screeners in safety practices. Indeed, Amler’s faith in the game-changing pot

is proud to support City & State Reports’ Corporate Social Responsibility Awards

Congratulations to all of this year’s honorees in Healthcare, Hospitals & Pharmaceuticals, including our own Chairwoman and CEO, Emma Li Xu

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

B EN G EY ERHAHN FOUNDER AND CEO, BENESTREAM Entrepreneur’s Award for Innovation in the Delivery of Affordable Health Care

or a company that cares about the well-being of its workforce, providing employees with affordable health care options can pose a heavy financial challenge – not to mention a confounding puzzle. “Why is it that someone who is eligible will not go out and get Medicaid and food stamps?” asked Ben Geyerhahn, founder and CEO of BeneStream, a health technology company that helps employers connect qualifying employees to government health benefits, such as Medicaid, Child Health Plus and SNAP. “We wanted to understand why people fall down.” Many of BeneStream’s clients are companies with workforces that include disproportionately high percentages of employees who are the sole wage earners in their families. Geyerhahn realized that many people working upwards of 40 hours a week in industries such as food processing and long-term care don’t have time to research the complex eligibility requirements of entitlement programs, nor file the necessary paperwork. For example, many people aren’t aware that Medicaid counts an unemployed relative, even a sibling or cousin, who lives under the same roof as a household member. Each year, some $100 billion in government benefits go unclaimed. “There was this incredibly valuable thing for individuals to have,” Geyerhahn said. “But was there value that someone else could get out of it?” A typical BeneStream client, it turns out, can save 10 to 15 percent on health care costs when employees who previously struggled to

afford the company plan switch to a government program. In addition, employees previously unable to afford the company plan can receive the assistance they need – even in their native language, if they are foreign born – to enroll. In the end, more employees will have a safety net below them while the company also receives a welcome degree of financial relief. Geyerhahn calculates the value he is able to deliver to a typical employee at $10,000 to $20,000. “Our clients are trying to do their best by their employees, but the best they can often do is a plan that is going to be expensive for the employee,” Geyerhahn said. “It’s inescapable that there are going to be people who are working and still qualify for Medicaid. Taking care of that group is complicated and needs to be done in a sensitive way.”

CONGRATULATIONS Thank you to City & State Reports for awarding BeneStream CEO, Ben Geyerhahn, with the 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Entrepeneurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Award for Innovation in the Delivery of Affordable Health! BeneStream Co-Founder and CEO, Ben Geyerhahn

www.benestream.com

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

A NNE NO LO N PRESIDENT AND CEO, HUDSON RIVER HEALTHCARE Special Leadership Award for Providing Quality Health Care to Vulnerable Populations Throughout the New York Region

hether tending orchards in the Hudson Valley, vineyards on Long Island, or growing onions in the Black Dirt Region, New York’s agricultural workers deliver food to our plates. And despite their vital role in driving economic growth across the state, many lack access to basic health care services. One of New York’s largest community health care networks, however, has made considerable strides in that regard. Hudson River HealthCare runs 25 health centers and six sub-recipient sites across the state. And of its 135,000 patients more than 8,000 are agricultural workers. “We serve all people regardless of income or their document status,” said Anne Nolon, HRHCare’s president and CEO. “Trust is what we build on. Our migrant outreach workers (at our migrant health sites) speak the same language and often come from the same states that the workers come from – and are well aware of the barriers to care.” HRHCare is committed to helping agricultural workers navigate the health care system – not just for primary care, but also for specialty care services and hospitalization. To bolster cultural competence throughout the organization, Nolon sends outreach teams to the Mexican states from which many of the agricultural workers in the Hudson Valley originated. HRHCare is now replicating its migrant worker outreach model in urban neighborhoods, where it has designed programs for target immigrant populations facing similar challenges.

In Suffolk County, HRHCare Foundation partnered with Long Island Sustainable Wine Growers to create a fund, Days of Health, for local agricultural workers. Its outreach team travels from vineyard to vineyard to assess the health needs of the workers and their families. “We’re trying to create an all-inclusive process that connects all the people working on the vineyards – 100 percent of them – to a health care home,” Nolon said. Nolon’s concern for the well-being of workers also extends to those in her own organization: HRHCare recently committed to a minimum $15-per-hour wage for all of its 900 employees, under its Caring for the Caregivers initiative. As Nolon explains it, demonstrating that employees matter brings added value in the care they give. “We strive for excellence in all we do,” she said. “And if you don’t have a staff that feels cared about, it’s really hard for them to care for others and deliver the exceptional level of service that we expect.”

The United Federation of Teachers SALUTES

City & State Reports’ 2015 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards for Healthcare, Hospitals and Pharmaceuticals WE JOIN IN CELEBRATING UFT Vice President

Anne Goldman

the honoree for Outstanding Achievement in Promoting the Nursing Profession & the Patients Nurses Serve

and all of this year’s worthy honorees

52 BROADWAY, NEW YORK, NY 10004 • WWW.UFT.ORG

Michael Mulgrew, President

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

EM M A L I-XU CHAIRWOMAN, A&Z PHARMACEUTICAL, INC. Special Award for All-Around Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility

any people wish they had more time to devote to outdoor exercise or to preparing healthier meals. Even the busiest among us, though, can find time to take a vitamin. In fact, people are increasingly looking to enhance their diets through vitamins and supplements – often called “nutraceuticals.” Yet knowing that such products have been manufactured according to rigorous standards is something many Americans seem to take for granted. In 1995, when Li-Xu, chairwoman and CEO of A&Z Pharmaceutical, decided to have her products manufactured in the United States, the quality enforced under FDA guidelines was her primary consideration. “My family started this business here, since the U.S. has the best medicine and regulations,” Li-Xu explained. Indeed, when A&Z Pharmaceutical was established in Long Island, the plan was always to introduce products manufactured there to the Chinese market. Li-Xu recognized that Chinese consumers placed great trust in FDA-approved products – a wise observation. In the intervening years, FDA guidelines have begun to serve as a model for many Chinese regulations. “It used to be that people were less concerned about what they put into their mouths,” Li-Xu said. “But now they want to catch up on the overall quality of medicine.” More than half of American consumers take vitamins – a figure nearly matched in China. A&Z Pharmaceutical’s D-Cal supplement now has the second-high-

est market share in China, where doctors often prescribe the vitamin D and calcium supplement to pregnant and postnatal women. Li-Xu is now preparing to release a new line of health supplements, Anfit, designed to appeal to a wider variety of consumers looking to stay fit and maintain healthy lifestyles. In fact, Li-Xu is constantly on the lookout for ways to get out her healthy message, and her work with local charities has garnered widespread recognition on Long Island. She has raised money for the American Heart Association and the LGBT Network of Long Island. “I want to give back to local causes in a regular and sustainable way, and eventually grow a global philanthropy platform,” she said. Given that health is the bedrock of everyone’s family and professional lives, it’s not lost on Li-Xu that there will always be a need for such efforts. “You cannot do anything else,” she said, “unless you’re really healthy yourself.”

Congratulations to Honoree Edward Fraser,MHA Regional Director, Community Relations 



Best Wishes from the Eastern Region Executive Directors: Michael Fener, Donna Moravick, Susan Kwiatek, Kevin Lawlor, Robert Detor & Regional Executive Director Winifred B. Mack

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

G EO R G E HULS E VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, HEALTHFIRST Special Leadership Award for Promoting Access to Quality Health Care In Disadvantaged Communities

ittle moments can be the most lasting memories. George Hulse still remembers the words spoken to him by the mother of a girl his team had helped to get braces. “Look at my daughter,” the woman said to him. “Look at her smile.” Crooked teeth had eroded the girl’s confidence. She felt unattractive, struggled in her interactions with other kids. Medicaid, meanwhile, wouldn’t reimburse the cost of braces for cosmetic purposes. What the girl’s mother hadn’t realized before meeting Hulse’s outreach team, however, was that under other circumstances – namely, emotional distress – the cost of braces could be covered. What Medicaid does and does not cover is a mystery to many. Not to mention the big question: Am I eligible? “Many, many people should have been insured many, many years ago, but they don’t realize that they qualify,” said Hulse, vice president of community engagement for Healthfirst. A nonprofit managed care plan, Healthfirst insures more than a million New Yorkers. “We encourage people to go to providers,” Hulse said. “We encourage them to take their medication. But you also have to encourage people to self-manage their care – to eat more fruits and vegetables, to minimize their stress.” To advance that mission, Hulse organizes educational events and seminars for some of the city’s most vulnerable communities. That may take the form of “health villages” in housing projects, free exercise

classes, and examinations for anyone who wants a checkup, whether they are Healthfirst members or not. “A lot of people with insurance plans don’t know what a representative from their company looks like,” Hulse said. “Maybe they know what one sounds like from talking on the phone. But our members see us at their church events. They see us at their street fairs. They sees us at provider events in the community.” Hulse sits on numerous boards – including the American Diabetes Association, the Boy Scouts of America and the Friends of Harlem Hospital. The outreach he oversees for Healthfirst not only improves health outcomes within communities, but also raises morale within his organization. “When we’re out in the field, we take a lot of pictures and our communications department makes sure our 4,000 employees know how active we are in the community,” Hulse explained. “The entire company takes great pride in the fact that we engage our members and providers much more than anyone else.”

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

M I CHAEL M CGUIRE CEO, UNITEDHEALTHCARE OF NEW YORK Special Innovation Award for Providing Disadvantaged Populations with Affordable Health Care and Housing

he road to good health starts at home. Without a secure roof over one’s head, who can really focus their energy on healthy living? That’s why, when coupled with supportive services, affordable housing plays a big part in achieving better health outcomes. “We recognize that housing is very important when it comes to taking care of your health,” UnitedHealthcare of New York CEO Michael McGuire said. Since 2011, UHC has invested more than $230 million in new community developments across the United States, providing affordable housing opportunities with support services for low-income individuals and families. One New York community that stands to gain from McGuire’s commitment to providing those in need with more affordable housing options is the South Bronx, where the company invested $7.8 million in low-income housing tax credit equity for the development of Gouverneur Place. A public-private partnership, the seven-story building, once complete, will contain 68 residential units – 50 of them reserved for people with mental health disabilities, all of whom will have direct access to on-site services. The building will include a computer lounge, an outdoor recreational area and bicycle storage, among other creature comforts. Under McGuire’s leadership, UHC has launched a broad range of initiatives – from corporate sponsorship programs to employee volunteer efforts – all aimed at lifting up New York’s most disadvantaged communities. UHC asks its 4,000 employ-

ees in New York state to log their volunteer hours, whether they’re participating in programs run by the company or outside nonprofits. In 2014 alone, New York employees logged more than 25,000 hours. Any employee who volunteers for more than 30 hours is entitled to direct the company to donate $500 to a nonprofit of their choice. “It’s a win-win situation – increasing employee engagement in the company while also benefitting communities,” McGuire remarked. UHC has also done its share to promote health and wellness in disadvantaged communities, working with Harlem RBI’s REAL Kids program to improve the health and wellness of local youth. UHC has also provided nutrition education to children in both East Harlem and the South Bronx, where more than one-third of elementary school children are overweight or obese. “We need to be committed to the markets that we work in,” McGuire said. “Our overall mission is to help people live healthier lives.”

Congratulations

EDWARD FRASER and the other winners of the CSR Award, from your friends at Keep Islip Clean.

Serving all 18 Hamlets of Islip Township 660 Main Street, Suite 2, Islip, NY 11751 631-224-2627 â&#x20AC;˘ keepislipclean.org

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

J OSEPH B. STAMM PRESIDENT AND CEO, NYCHSRO/MEDREVIEW, INC. Excellence in Providing Transparency and Open Data for New York’s Health Care Marketplace

o one is immune to the rising cost of health care – most certainly not the people who lack coverage, nor those who struggle to keep up with high premiums, nor those who wish they could offer better benefits to their employees. While there is no shortage of factors contributing to escalating costs, greater transparency in how medical services are provided certainly helps. “If anyone can invoice anything that they want, it’s not just the government being impacted, but individuals, private citizens,” said Joseph Stamm, president and CEO of the auditing group MedReview. “Everyone has a copay, and they have to pay their share of this, and you need to be able to assure them that if they are going to be paying out of pocket, they are paying for services that are medically necessary and appropriate.” For the record, Stamm is in no way “anti-provider.” Providers, he believes, should receive all payments that they are authorized to bill as expeditiously as possible. “But if there is something that is inappropriate,” he continued, “we will identify it, and we will challenge it.” In some instances, the system may be too easy to game. In the case of a newborn, according to Stamm, all the provider needs to do is write “with complications” on the invoice – and that could add thousands of dollars to the bill. MedReview, a subsidiary of New York County Health Services Review Organization, was formed in 1984 to provide auditing services for clients in the private and public sectors, including government agencies, labor

unions, insurance companies and TPAs. It now operates around the country in 25 different states. As Stamm explains it, his firm serves two vital functions. The first of those is quality control: MedReview verifies that the services rendered are medically appropriate. The second is cost savings. According to Stamm, his firm has saved its clients in excess of $1 billion, post-appeal. The unshakable fact is that providers act more diligently when they are being monitored. As a result, the cost containment benefits can be huge, for individual companies as well as society at large. “Whether it’s in the private sector, whether it’s in the governmental sector, whether it’s on Medicare, whether it’s on Medicaid,” said Stamm, “there has to be a watchdog, an eye that is looking to make certain that everything is being done appropriately.”

The Board of Trustees & the Committee on Diversity and Inclusion at the Associated Medical Schools of New York

Congratulate Dr. Gary C. Butts, Senior Associate Dean for Diversity Programs, Policy and Community Affairs, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for his 30+ year commitment to diversity in medicine! As Chair of the Diversity Committee at the Associated Medical Schools of New York, Dr. Butts has significantly expanded opportunities for students underrepresented in medicine.

SEPTEMBER 2015

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

J I L L F UR I L LO RN, BSN, PHN, IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE NEW YORK STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION New York’s largest union and professional association of registered nurses.

urillo joined NYSNA in 2012 in order to help transform our union into a progressive voice for registered nurses. Under her leadership, NYSNA launched a campaign to stop the epidemic of hospital cuts and closures and end healthcare inequality by building a strong coalition with 1199SEIU, patients, community groups, and elected allies. Furillo’s work helped elect a progressive mayor and built new and unprecedented political power for nurses and patients in New York. Furillo’s commitment to ending inequality in healthcare has been at the root of all campaigns NYSNA has spearheaded during her tenure -- including the fight to reverse privatization, to protect and strengthen our public hospital system, to win safe RN staffing levels and to ensure that every patient has access to quality, affordable healthcare. In the spirit of the activist union NYSNA has become, we also won our first large organizing victory in nearly a decade at Bellevue Woman’s Center in Upstate New York, where nurses voted overwhelmingly to have a united voice in our union. We recently concluded groundbreaking contracts in both the public and private hospitals in the greater New York area affecting over 30,000 nurses where over 1,000 additional RN positions are added creating new jobs for recent RN graduates. Furillo became a registered nurse in 1985 and has worked as an ER nurse, an organizer, the Executive Vice President of the RN Division of 1199, and the national bargaining director of National Nurses

United (NNU), the largest union of registered nurses in the U.S. Furillo successfully shepherded the country’s first law setting safe nurse-to-patient ratios through the California legislature. Building on this groundbreaking legislation, Furillo won comprehensive safe staffing standards in collective bargaining agreements in states from Nevada to Florida.

NOTES

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

NOTES

SEPTEMBER 2015

CONGRATULATIONS TO

ANNE NOLON From the Capitol Region to the East End of Long Island, HRHCare’s network of over 25 health centers provides affordable, accessible care to more than 135,000 patients.

We are proud to stand with a visionary leader who holds a profound commitment to care and compassion for all New Yorkers. SKDKnickerbocker applauds HRHCare’s Anne Nolon and all of today’s awardees for their outstanding contributions to health care.

C I T Y & S TAT E R E P O R T

SEPTEMBER 2015