NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health Appoints Selwena R. Brewster, MD, MBA As Chief Medical Officer
Her leadership in throughput and capacity management has reduced hospital length of stay, improved operational efficiency, and ensured timely, well-coordinated care for patients
Dec 02, 2025
Brooklyn, NY — NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health today announced the appointment of Selwena R. Brewster, MD, MBA as Chief Medical Officer where she will oversee clinical operations to ensure high-quality patient care and the continued strategic success of the institution. In this role, she will lead the medical staff, develop and implement clinical policies, manage medical budgets, and ensure full compliance with state, federal, and regulatory requirements. Her appointment was effective November 7 and follows the retirement of Dr. Terence Brady earlier in 2025, after 13 years of dedicated service to South Brooklyn Health.
Dr. Brewster brings a distinguished clinical background in both Internal Medicine and Emergency Medicine, a dual foundation that allows her to bridge frontline medical practice with strategic operational leadership. Throughout her career with South Brooklyn Health and NYC Health + Hospitals, she has led transformative initiatives that strengthened clinical quality, enhanced patient outcomes, and elevated standards of care across multiple service lines. Her previous role as Associate Chief Medical Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County further underscored her ability to effect system-wide improvements and foster collaboration across large, multidisciplinary teams.
Beyond her administrative accomplishments, Dr. Brewster is recognized as an industry expert in Quality, Risk Management, Patient Safety, Ethics, and Peer Review. She has built sustainable infrastructures that promote accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement, while guiding teams through complex reviews and quality-focused initiatives. Her leadership in throughput and capacity management has reduced hospital length of stay, improved operational efficiency, and ensured timely, well-coordinated care for patients.
In addition to her new role as Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Brewster will continue to serve as South Brooklyn Health’s Interim Chief Quality Officer. She completed her medical degree at Ross University, a Residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Connecticut, and a Residency in Emergency Medicine at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is a graduate of the PAGNY Physician Leadership Program, a Certified Management Coach, and holds a Physician Executive MBA from the University of Tennessee, further reflecting her commitment to lifelong learning and leadership excellence.
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MEDIA CONTACT: SBHPublicAffairs@nychhc.org
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health
A member of NYC Health + Hospitals, NYC Health + Hospitals, South Brooklyn Health is a major health care provider in the borough of Brooklyn. Its foremost mission is to provide quality, comprehensive care to all members of the public regardless of their ability to pay. 2025 marks its 150th anniversary of serving the communities of Brooklyn. South Brooklyn Health’s modern campus features the new Ruth Bader Ginsburg Hospital and full Ambulatory Care Services. Its range of services, include emergency care, surgery, maternity, and specialized outpatient care, and holds designations for its stroke and maternal care centers. NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health is a joint commission accredited thrombectomy stroke center, providing immediate access to the highest level of stroke care. South Brooklyn Health is also a certified Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI) Center, providing the highest level of neurology and cardiology care. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/southbrooklynhealth.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.