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NYC Health + Hospitals SVP and CQO, and Metropolitan Hospital Leadership Recognized by Castle Connolly as ‘2023 Top AAPI Doctors’

Dr. Vani Dandolu, Dr. Gladys M. Lee-Hwang, Dr. Anitha Srinivasan, and Dr. Eric Wei are among 350 physicians who were nominated by their peers and chosen by the health care directory

Jun 07, 2023

New York, NY

NYC Health + Hospitals today announced that four of its leaders were among 350 physicians across 35 states and 63 specialties named to Castle Connolly’s inaugural list of ‘Top Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Doctors‘ for their medical expertise and culturally-responsive care. The physicians who made the list were all nominated by their peers and then evaluated for criteria including professional reputation, hospital appointments, and education. Castle Connolly is a health care directory that helps patients find providers. Their ‘Top AAPI Doctor’ distinction is part of their efforts to make it easier for people to find providers who have shared backgrounds and experiences. The four honorees from NYC Health + Hospitals are:

Vani Dandolu, MD, MPH, MBA
Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan

Gladys M. Lee-Hwang, MD
Director of Labor and Delivery
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan

Dr. Anitha Srinivasan, MD, MPH, FACS
Deputy Medical Director, Director of Perioperative Services, Director of the Breast Health Center
NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan

Eric Wei, MD
Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer
NYC Health + Hospitals

Dr. Dandolu oversees approximately 90 clinical and non-clinical employees as Chief of Obstetrics & Gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, a designated Baby-Friendly and certified gold Safe Sleep hospital in East Harlem. She is also Board Certified in Female Pelvic Medicine, providing specialized care to patients with pelvic floor defects and dysfunction. Dr. Dandolu is an expert in minimally-invasive gynecologic and urogynecologic surgery. She is cited in over 600 publications and has served as primary or co-investigator in several clinical trials.

“At NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, we are dedicated to providing high-quality, compassionate care to our patients,” said Dr. Dandolu. “I am gratified to be recognized by Castle Connolly as a top AAPI physician for providing exceptional, life-saving care to the communities we serve.”

Dr. Lee is the Director of Labor & Delivery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, where 852 babies were born last year. The hospital has state-of-the-art labor & delivery suites, with dedicated Postpartum pavilion, and a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit to take care of premature or sick babies.  Dr. Lee has been in practice for over 20 years — she earned her medical degree from New York Medical College and completed her residency at the hospital. She is now an Associate Professor and Clinical Instructor at her alma mater.

“Patients and physicians alike have come to rely on the Castle Connolly Top Doctors list to find the most trusted and skilled physicians by specialty, therefore being recognized as a Castle Connolly Top AAPI Doctor is a true honor,” said Dr. Lee.

As Deputy Chief Medical Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, Dr. Srinivasan oversees and guides clinical practice at the hospital, in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer. She is a General Surgeon by trade, but her true passion is helping women in underserved communities fight breast cancer. Dr. Srinivasan is the founder and director of the hospital’s Breast Health Center. Under her leadership, the center provides high-quality and comprehensive preventative care to approximately 1,500 patients a year, as well as lifesaving breast cancer treatment for as many as 60 new cases diagnosed each year. Dr. Srinivasan also manages Perioperative Services, which takes care of patients before and after surgery. She also teaches surgical students at New York Medical College.

“Being recognized as a Castle Connolly Top AAPI Doctor is not only an honor for me, but it is also evidence that our providers define and reflect the culture of excellence at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, where we relentlessly focus on exceptional patient outcomes while providing equitable health care for all,” said Dr. Srinivasan.

Dr. Wei leads the health system’s Office of Quality and Safety, focused on fostering a culture of safety, building quality improvement capacity across all 43,000+ staff, and becoming a data-driven organization. He is also an associate clinical professor of Emergency Medicine at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and adjunct professor at the NYU School of Global Public Health. Dr. Wei founded the Helping Healers Heal program to support health care workers through emotional and psychological trauma. He is the fellowship director for the NYC Health + Hospitals Clinical Leadership Fellowship. He is also a practicing Emergency Medicine physician rotating through all 11 Emergency Departments at NYC Health + Hospitals.

“I am honored to be named by Castle Connolly as a Top AAPI Doctor. I feel privileged to work for NYC Health + Hospitals, where we truly embrace the diversity of our staff, patients, and the communities we serve,” said Dr. Wei. “It is important to have a health care workforce that represents our patients so we can reduce and ultimately eliminate disparities in care.”

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About NYC Health + Hospitals

NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal 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 MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 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 FacebookTwitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.