Three New Chief Nursing Officers Bring More Than 100 Years of Experience to NYC Health + Hospitals in the Bronx
Jan 26, 2016
NYC Health + Hospitals today announced three new Chief Nursing Officers have joined its hospitals in the Bronx, focusing on enhancing overall quality of care, patient safety and improving the health care experience for both patients and their families. The three – Maureen Pode, RN, BSN, MA, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx; Suzanne Pennaccio, MSN, BSN, NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi; and Lillian Diaz, RN, MS, MBA, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln – bring more than 100 combined years of nursing experience to New York City’s essential public health care system.
“This is an exciting and critical time for our public health system, and more than ever, we need exemplary leaders to bring us through our transformation,” said Lauren Johnston, NYC Health + Hospitals Senior Assistant Vice President and Corporate Chief Nurse Executive. “I am confident that the Bronx’s new chief nurses will excel in their new roles and enhance the quality of care.”
“Chief Nursing Officers must focus on so many items, but overall it all comes down to improving outcomes and experience for patients,” said Maureen Pode. “There is no greater responsibility or greater reward than working together with physicians, nurses and the entire health care team to assist our patients to live their healthiest lives possible.”
“Nurses are an integral part of each patient’s experience, from ensuring their medication and treating their injuries, to providing comfort in a hospital environment. If a patient has concerns, the first person to often address them is typically their nurse,” said Suzanne Pennaccio. “We want to encourage a collaborative relationship between the nurses, physicians and all members of a patient’s care team to best serve each person in need of care.”
“My vision is to achieve nursing excellence in all that we do. Providing the best outcomes for our patients, having the very best patient experiences, and focusing on quality and safety. These are our goals,” said Lillian Diaz. “We also want our nurses working at the top of their license, and we will put a strong emphasis on professional growth and development for our nursing staff.”
Maureen Pode, RN, BSN, MA, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx has served in the nursing profession more than 30 years and worked in various positions at Jacobi and North Central Bronx for the last 13 years, serving as Director of Care Management and Deputy Chief Financial Officer. In her new role as CNO and Associate Executive Director of Patient Care Services, her priorities include maintaining and improving the high performance scores on patient review surveys achieved by North Central Bronx. Prior to working for NYC Health + Hospitals she held a variety of positions at Cabrini Medical Center, Saint Vincent’s Catholic Medical Centers and Catholic Medical Centers, including the management of daily operations for ambulatory care centers and facilities. She holds a MA in Health Administration, with distinction, from Hofstra University, and graduated Cum Laude with a BS from the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing.
Lillian Diaz, RN, MS, MBA, NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln has more than 30 years of clinical and leadership experiences in health care. She held a variety of positions, including Staff Nurse in the Emergency Department, Medical ICU and Cardiothoracic ICU, and Directorship of Cardiac and Critical Patient Care, at North Shore University Hospital. Prior to joining Lincoln as Deputy Executive Director and Chief Nurse Executive, Lillian served as Deputy Executive Director and CNO at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan since 2011. Lillian received her BS in Nursing from SUNY Downstate and her MS and MBA from Saint Joseph’s University in Philadelphia.
Contact: Ian Michaels,347-327-1793
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation with a network of 11 hospitals including six regional trauma centers, community-based health centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, and a correctional health services unit. The system includes a home care agency and a health plan, MetroPlusHealth. The health system provides essential services to 1.2 million New Yorkers every year in more than 70 locations across the five boroughs. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees are uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. Visit nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected: https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter @NYCHealthSystem.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility holds numerous center of excellence designations for its renowned trauma center, burn center, regional stroke center, regional perinatal center, breast health center and bariatric surgery service. The facility also has a multi-person hyperbaric unit and a surgical intensive care unit. NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi’s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its recently constructed inpatient facility and allows staff to provide patients with high-quality care in a modern, state-of-the-art environment.For more information visit /jacobi.
About NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln
NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln, located at 234 East 149th Street in the Bronx, is a 362-bed, Acute Care Level 1 Trauma Center with the busiest single site emergency department in the region. Winner of the 2012 American Hospital Association-McKesson Quest for Quality Finalist Award, and 2013 recognition as a “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures” by The Joint Commission, the hospital emphasizes primary care and specialty medicine and uses the latest advances in medical science. The hospital is a member of the NYC Health + Hospitals health care system.