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  • REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – March 2026

REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS – March 2026

Mitchell H. Katz, MD
NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS
PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
REPORT TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
March 26, 2026

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS RELEASES SECOND YEAR OF ACHIEVEMENTS UNDER THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH BLUEPRINT

NYC Health + Hospitals announced the second-year accomplishments of its comprehensive three-year plan to strengthen and expand its behavioral health services. The 2025 Behavioral Health Annual Progress Report details the advancement of initiatives to build capacity and resilience into the City’s behavioral health workforce and services. Specifically, the report tracks progress in 2025 across the blueprint’s six core strategies: restoring and maximizing inpatient capacity; expanding access to outpatient services; increasing services to special populations; enhancing social work, care management, and peer services; preventing violence and increasing safety; and building the behavioral health workforce. This progress is due in part to philanthropic investment, which has enabled the health care System to launch and expand innovative clinical programs while strengthening recruitment, retention, and career advancement across behavioral health service lines and expand access timely, high-quality behavioral health care.

This builds upon the three-year plan announced in 2024, the Behavioral Health Blueprint: Turning Crisis into Opportunity, and adds to the track record of accomplishments detailed in the 2024 Behavioral Health Annual Progress Report. 

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS EMPLOYEE AND FACILITY RECOGNITIONS

BECKER’S HEALTHCARE RECOGNIZES TWO LEADERS FROM NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS ON 2026 CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICERS TO KNOW LIST

NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan Chief Medical Officer Dr. Anitha Srinivasan and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue Chief Medical Officer Dr. Amit Uppal were named to Becker’s Healthcare 2026 Hospital and Health System Chief Medical Officers to Know list. Becker’s list puts a spotlight on 252 physician executives who are instrumental in elevating patient safety, upholding rigorous quality standards, strengthening collaboration between executive leadership and medical staff, and guiding risk management efforts, including high-ranking elected officials, high-powered health care executives and effective advocates.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/SOUTH BROOKLYN HEALTH’S MEDICAL AND SURGICAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS RECOGNIZED WITH SILVER BEACON AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health announced that its Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) and Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU) both recently received a Silver Beacon Award for Excellence from the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN). The Beacon Award is a prestigious national recognition awarded to individual hospital units that demonstrate exceptional performance in quality care, patient outcomes, work environment, and nursing workforce standards. A Silver Beacon Award for Excellence reflects exceptional patient care and a healthy work environment.  It recognizes unit caregivers who successfully improve patient outcomes and align clinical practices with the AACN’s Healthy Work Environment Standards. Units that receive Beacon recognition are recognized as role models in delivering safe, patient-centered care and fostering a healthy work environment that supports collaboration, staff engagement, and continuous improvement.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/ELMHURST CELEBRATES CRITICAL CARE TEAMS’ AACN SILVER BEACON AND DAISY AWARDS FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst announced it received two distinguished national recognitions honoring its Critical Care and Medical Intensive Care Units. Both units received the Silver Beacon Award from the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) and the DAISY Team Award for Nursing Excellence from the DAISY Foundation.

Elmhurst Hospital’s Silver Beacon Award from the AACN recognizes the hospital’s deep commitment to improving patient outcomes in the CCU and MICU, as well as the promotion of workforce engagement, retention, and wellness initiatives for staff. The award from the DAISY Foundation, an international program that honors nursing teams for extraordinary compassion and clinical skill, recognizes collaborative efforts that elevate patient and family care during complex and often life-threatening medical situations.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/KINGS COUNTY ADULT INTENSIVE CARE UNITS EARN NATIONAL BEACON AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE

Two NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County adult critical care units were nationally recognized by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN) through the prestigious Beacon Award for Excellence program. The D3 South Critical Care Unit (CCU)/Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) earned the 2024 Gold Beacon Award for Excellence, and the D3 North Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU)/Neonatal Surgical Intensive Care Unit (NSICU) earned the 2025 Silver Beacon Award for Excellence. These honors recognize sustained excellence in patient care, nursing practice, and the creation of healthy work environments grounded in evidence-based practice. Across both units, nursing workforce metrics reflect the depth of clinical expertise supporting these outcomes. Ninety five percent of nurses hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, the average tenure on the units is eight years, and the average total nursing experience approaches thirteen years.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/WOODHULL EARNS NATIONAL RECOGNITION AS CENTER OF EXCELLENCE IN SURGICAL SAFETY

NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull received the Center of Excellence in Surgical Safety: Prevention of Retained Surgical Items (RSI) Award and the Go Clear Award by the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses (AORN), the leading professional organization for surgical nurses nationwide. This prestigious award recognizes Woodhull Hospital’s unwavering commitment to minimizing the risk of surgical errors and enhancing patient safety through advanced education and training of its surgical team in preventing unintentionally retained surgical items and for maintaining a surgical environment free of surgical smoke.

NATIONAL MINORITY QUALITY FORUM NAMES DR. KEVIN CHEN AND MATEO ESPINOSA, MPH TO “40 UNDER 40 LEADERS IN MINORITY HEALTH” LIST

NYC Health + Hospitals’ Ambulatory Care Innovation Lab Assistant Vice President Dr. Kevin Chen, and Mateo Espinosa, Assistant Director for Special Projects and Research in Ambulatory Care Services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst have been named to the National Minority Quality Forum’s 2025 annual “40 Under 40 Leaders in Minority Health” list.

Each year, the National Minority Quality Forum recognizes 40 outstanding health leaders under the age of 40 from minoritized communities who are driving meaningful change in healthcare. These honorees, ranging from clinicians and patient advocates to researchers and policy leaders, are advancing better patient outcomes while working to create healthier, more sustainable communities. Their work reflects a strong commitment to addressing persistent health disparities and strengthening the healthcare system despite ongoing challenges.

Dr. Chen is a practicing primary care physician at NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Cumberland, Assistant Vice President in the Office of Clinical Services and Population Health, and Assistant Clinical Professor at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine. Espinosa began his work at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst in 2023 and, since early 2024, has served as Assistant Director for Special Projects and Research in Ambulatory Care Services. In this role, he has led and supported multiple performance improvement initiatives aimed at ensuring accessible, equitable care for diverse communities. His work has focused on expanding language services, increasing lung and colorectal cancer screening rates, and improving influenza vaccination uptake.

HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND FACILITY ANNOUNCEMENTS

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS SURPASSED 70% COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING RATE AMONG ELIGIBLE PATIENTS FOR THE FIRST TIME

For National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month, NYC Health + Hospitals announced that, for the first time, over 70% of eligible patients were up to date on colorectal cancer screening in 2025, or over 117,000 patients were screened. Colorectal cancer, also known as colon cancer, is the second-leading cause of cancer death in New York City. NYC Health + Hospitals offers colonoscopies and at-home fecal immunochemical test (FIT) kits to help prevent colon cancer or find it early when it is more treatable. When colon cancer is detected at an early stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is about 90 percent; however, only 4 out of 10 colon cancers are found this early.

The health care System increased its screening rate for colorectal cancer through continued expansion of FIT kits. Patients received prepaid return envelopes to easily mail their FIT kit to the lab for testing. In 2025, nearly 80% of distributed FIT kits were returned to the lab, substantially higher than the 30-60% often reported in the literature. Instructions for completing the test were provided in 14 languages to eliminate language barriers. In addition, patients received automated reminders through the electronic health record to return their kits, and frontline teams benefitted from easily accessible registry data and dashboards to encourage patients to start screening after they turn 45.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS ANNOUNCES $2.75 MILLION INVESTMENT TO ENHANCE OBSTETRIC CARE

NYC Health + Hospitals announced the launch of a $2.75 million investment to enhance obstetric care with PeriGen’s PeriWatch Vigilance technology, an early warning and clinical decision tool to strengthen maternal-fetal surveillance, support labor and delivery teams, and advance patient safety for mothers and babies. Measuring fetal and maternal heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, pulse, contractions, and labor progression, the system alerts the care team when a pregnant or postpartum patient requires immediate attention. Vigilance will mainly be used in Labor and Birthing units, Obstetric Triage, Postpartum units, Obstetric Post-Anesthesia Care Units, and the Emergency Department, but can be used anywhere a pregnant patient may present for care. The Vigilance system is now online at NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx and will be available at all 11 hospitals later this year. One U.S. health care system found that using the PeriGen system reduced unexpected complications in full-term babies by 12% in two years. About 15,000 babies are born at NYC Health + Hospitals each year.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/JACOBI | NORTH CENTRAL BRONX BRINGS NOVEL MINIMALLY INVASIVE VASCULAR SURGERY PROCEDURES TO THE BRONX

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx announced it has begun offering two types of minimally invasive surgical procedures that were not previously available at NYC Health + Hospitals in the Bronx. The first procedure, Transcarotid Artery Revascularization (TCAR), helps prevent stroke by removing blockages in the arteries leading to the brain. Compared to open surgery or traditional carotid stenting, TCAR offers a lower risk of complications or stroke. TCAR patients typically spend only one night in the hospital after surgery. The second procedure, Percutaneous Transmural Arterial Bypass (PTAB), prevents amputation by removing blockages in the arteries leading to the legs and feet. In comparison to alternative procedures, PTAB avoids the need for large incisions, reduces recovery time, and reduces the chances of complications associated with open surgery. Both surgeries are conducted by vascular surgeon Dr. Hayavadhan Thuppal, who brings nine years of experience to his new role at Jacobi Hospital.

BRIDGE TO HOME PROGRAM FEATURED IN NEW EPISODE OF NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS PODCAST THE REMEDY

NYC Health + Hospitals released a new episode of its podcast, The Remedy, featuring leaders and health care providers from the nation’s largest municipal health care system. Season 3 Episode 4: Redefining Mental Health Support with Bridge to Home covers how the first-of-its-kind transitional housing initiative supports patients with severe mental illness by providing a stable, home-like environment with onsite clinical and behavioral health care to ensure they can continue their recovery and have a roadmap towards long-term stability. In this episode, host Dr. Michael Shen is joined by Bridge to Home Site Director Melissa Shoupe, Assistant Director of Nursing Dr. Nzinga Zennia, and Medical Director and Psychiatrist Dr. Chris Clayton to discuss how the support they provide Bridge to Home guests closes the revolving door between hospitals and the streets and helps them prepare to live in a permanent home of their own. 

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/GOTHAM HEALTH RECEIVES OVER $1 MILLION FROM QUEENS BOROUGH PRESIDENT DONOVAN RICHARDS JR. TO ENHANCE PATIENT CARE ACROSS QUEENS

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health announced a significant investment of over $1 million from Queens Borough President Donovan Richards Jr. to support critical infrastructure upgrades and patient experience improvements across two Gotham Health centers in Queens: Roosevelt and Lefrak. This funding reflects the shared commitment of both Gotham Health and Borough President Richards to advancing health equity and expanding access to high quality care for all Queens residents.

$1 million of the allocation will support strategic renovations to optimize Roosevelt’s layout and better meet the needs of patients and staff, including: converting a storage area into dental and pediatric examination rooms; creating two new offices for the nutritionist and social worker in the waiting area; renovating the west-side waiting area to include two legal offices; upgrading the women’s locker room with additional lockers and a bench; enhancing the staff kitchen with counter space, seating, and a full-size refrigerator; creating storage for cleaning supplies and community outreach materials; adding a new secretary workspace; and providing a conference room for staff collaboration and meetings.

PATIENT SAFETY AWARENESS WEEK

NYC Health + Hospitals celebrated National Patient Safety Awareness Week from March 8 through 14 with a series of events including a conference attended by almost 200 colleagues across the System to celebrate patient safety efforts. Awards were given to three sites for incredible improvement efforts focused on culture of safety, and the Gold award went to NYC Health + Hospitals/Lincoln for improving the percentage of discharge prescriptions delivered at bedside for postpartum patients. Additionally, almost 100 colleagues from across the System in multiple disciplines were honored as patient safety champions for their commitment and focus on improving patient safety.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT AND WORKFORCE WELLNESS IMPROVES MARKEDLY

Employee engagement across the health care System showed meaningful and sustained improvement in 2025, driven by expanded participation and stronger follow-through on employee feedback. The Employee Feedback Survey achieved a 59% response rate, capturing 35,693 voices—including more than 10,000 additional respondents compared to 2023—after broadening outreach. Overall engagement saw a statistically significant increase and the third consecutive improvement since 2021. Additionally, 69% of staff reported they would recommend working at the organization. Engagement gains were seen across nearly all sites, many with statistical significance.

Additionally, workforce wellness improved notably between 2023 and 2025, reflecting both enhanced employee well-being outcomes and expanded program engagement. Survey results show a meaningful shift in staff experience, including a 6% increase in employees reporting manageable job stress, modest gains in opportunities to de-stress at work, and declines in high stress, anxiety, and feelings of sadness or depression. Encouragingly, there was also a 6.5% increase in staff reporting no symptoms of burnout.

Awareness and utilization of the Helping Healers Heal (H3) grew substantially, with 94% of staff now aware of the program and willingness to use it rising by 23%. Participation and satisfaction with wellness initiatives also improved. The launch of dedicated Workforce Wellness departments across post-acute sites has strengthened program consistency and impact.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/GOUVERNEUR RINGS IN LUNAR NEW YEAR WITH CELEBRATION FOR PATIENTS AND RESIDENTS

NYC Health + Hospitals/Gouverneur Skilled Nursing Facility partnered with NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur, part of the public health System’s network of primary care clinics, to celebrate the Lunar New Year, marking the Year of the Fire Horse, which officially began on February 17. This cultural celebration was an interactive experience rooted in traditional martial arts and performance art, signifying the prosperous year ahead.

It was a sea of bright red in the Gouverneur auditorium with vibrant décor and participants wearing red shirts to honor the Lunar New Year. In Chinese culture, red is associated with happiness, energy, and good fortune.

This year, New York Love Song and Dance Troupe, and the Wan Chi Ming Hung Gar Institute returned to Gouverneur to showcase their traditional Tai Chi Fan Dance and the highly anticipated Lion Dance. Performers choreographed the traditional Cai Qing where the lions “consume” lettuce (symbolizing good fortune) and “spit out” the remains to spread wealth and fortune to the audience. Long-term care residents also presented offerings of mandarin oranges (symbolizing gold) and red envelopes called hung bao in Mandarin and lai see in Cantonese, to promote good health and prosperity.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/SOUTH BROOKLYN HEALTH UNVEILS NEWLY RENOVATED AND EXPANDED ONCOLOGY AND INFUSION CENTER

NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health today announced the opening of its newly renovated and expanded Oncology and Infusion Center, a significant advancement in South Brooklyn Health’s commitment to delivering comprehensive, compassionate cancer care. The $2 million renovation, which expanded the center from five to thirteen exam rooms and from seven to eleven infusion bays, is expected to double the Center’s volume while increasing access to cancer care. South Brooklyn Health also added a critical new service to its center, with the addition of Dr. Bindu Bahuleyan, a full-time board-certified plastic and reconstructive surgeon, to advance and enhance oncology support and recovery.

Overall, staff increased from approximately sixteen to twenty-five, a fifty-six percent increase in the service and support team. South Brooklyn Health has broadened the services available within the center to strengthen collaboration across oncology, medicine, and surgery. The Oncology and Infusion Center now brings together breast cancer prevention, infusion therapy, plastic surgery, rheumatology, medical oncology, and survivorship services, offering patients access to a full continuum of care in one coordinated space.

DR. JONATHAN D. MARMUR APPOINTED AS CHAIR OF CARDIOLOGY AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/ELMHURST

NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst appointed Jonathan D. Marmur, MD as its new Chair of Cardiology. Dr. Marmur is an accomplished interventional cardiologist and academic physician who brings more than two decades of clinical, academic, and leadership experience to Elmhurst Hospital. He joins the hospital following a distinguished tenure at SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, where he held multiple leadership roles including Professor of Medicine, Chief of Cardiology, Director of the Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory, and Fellowship Director for both general and interventional cardiology.

SIMULATION TRAINING FEATURED IN NEW EPISODE OF NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS PODCAST THE REMEDY

NYC Health + Hospitals today released a new episode of its podcast, The Remedy, featuring leaders and health care providers from the nation’s largest municipal health care system. Season 3 Episode 3: Behind the Scenes at the Simulation Center covers how healthcare teams prepare for life-and-death emergencies. In this episode, host Dr. Michael Shen is joined by Dr. Michael Meguerdichian, Dr. Jacqueline Mahal, and Dr. Daniel Lugassy to discuss how simulation—using manikins, live actors, and virtual reality—gives doctors, nurses, and staff the chance to rehearse everything from trauma and cardiac arrest to opioid overdose. The health care System’s commitment to simulating real medical scenarios means not just better technical skills, but more equitable, compassionate, and culturally competent care for all. The newest simulation training focuses on Emergency Department providers and how they respond to patients living with opioid use disorder or at risk of overdose. The health care System also offers simulation training for obstetric emergencies using manikins and virtual reality. 

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/JACOBI | NORTH CENTRAL BRONX CHIEF NURSING OFFICER AND DENTISTRY APPOINTMENTS

NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx appointed Angela Carter, DNP, NE-BC, CPHQ as Chief of Nursing for the Jacobi and North Central Bronx campuses. Dr. Carter is a dedicated nursing professional who brings more than two decades of experience to her new role. A native of Nashville, Tennessee, she has committed her professional life to patient safety, teamwork and quality improvement. During her tenure at Vanderbilt Health, Dr. Carter oversaw an acute care facility with a comprehensive range of inpatient and outpatient services. She helped lead the hospital’s transformation to a nationally recognized institution committed to patient safety, achieving seven consecutive “A” safety grades from the Leapfrog Group, demonstrating excellent patient outcomes. She also helped ensure the facility’s four-star rating from CMS, exemplifying nursing excellence in all aspects of evidence-based, multidisciplinary, and patient care and satisfaction. 

Additionally, the facility appointed Robert Margolin, DDS as Chair of the Department of Dentistry & Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, and Josephine Sullivan, DDS as Vice Chair. Dr. Margolin succeeds Dr. Victor Badner, and Vice Chair is a new position Dr. Sullivan was elected into. Both appointments became effective on January 16.

BRONX BOROUGH PRESIDENT VANESSA L. GIBSON VISITS NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/BELLEVUE FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH PROGRAM

NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue welcomed Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson today for a Women’s History Month program titled “Leading the Change,” bringing together healthcare leaders, public officials, and community partners to highlight the role of women in advancing leadership, equity, and access to care across New York City. The program featured a panel discussion with Borough President Gibson, Bellevue Hospital CEO Dr. Eric Wei, and Bellevue Hospital Chief Cultural Officer Channing Thomas, who reflected on the role of women leaders in shaping healthcare systems, strengthening communities, and expanding opportunity across the city.

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS HONORS NURSING HOME RESIDENT CENTENARIAN CARMEN AUGUSTIN AT AGE 112

NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler honored Carmen Augustin marking her 112th birthday celebration. Augustin is the oldest long-term care resident across the health System’s five skilled nursing facilities, and among the City’s oldest living New Yorkers. Born 1914 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Augustin spent most of her early adulthood managing a local market and teaching young children after school. She immigrated to the United States in 1984, joining her sister in Queens, New York.

Augustin has lived through significant historical events from the rise of aviation, the Spanish flu pandemic, World Wars, 19 United States Presidents, the transformative advancements of the phone, computer, artificial intelligence, among many others. In 2010, Augustin was welcomed to NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler and has resided there ever since. She enjoys singing in French and Creole with the residents and staff in its award-winning memory care unit, and spending time with her family.

ARTS IN MEDICINE UPDATE

NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS RECEIVES SIX SING FOR HOPE PIANOS DESIGNED BY ARTISTS

NYC Health + Hospitals’ Arts in Medicine department announced the placement of six artist-designed Sing for Hope Pianos across the health care system. The program has placed over 700 pianos to schools, hospitals, and community centers around the world. The Sing for Hope Pianos are now in lobbies and waiting rooms and can be played by patients, staff, and visitors. They can be found at NYC Health + Hospitals/Carter; NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur; NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County; NYC Health + Hospitals/McKinney; NYC Health + Hospitals/Queens; and NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health. The initiative is supported by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.

HARMONIZING FOR HEALTH CLOSING CELEBRATION

Over the course of six months, NYC Health + Hospitals/Arts in Medicine and NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue worked collaboratively with Juilliard Extension to provide the Harmonizing for Health program to Bellevue staff. During this final session, both clinical and non-clinical cohorts were led through a sound bath experience and reflected on the pilot program together. Harmonizing for Health was evaluated in partnership with Yale School of Public Health. Arts in Medicine will begin to review findings in order to scale the program systemwide. Hospitals/Queens; and NYC Health + Hospitals/South Brooklyn Health. The initiative is supported by the Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund.

AKHILA KHANNA AND KATE MULLIGAN PRESENT AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS LCAT CONFERENCE

This year at NYC Health and Hospital’s annual Licensed Creative Arts Therapist Conference, Dr. Kate Mulligan, Scientific Director of the Canadian Institute for Social Prescribing and Akhila Khanna, an LCAT and researcher with Arts in Medicine, examined and re-imagined the role of a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist as a strategic ‘link worker’ in Behavioral Health. Kate shared best practices of link workers across the health system and Social Prescribing frameworks both in the US and Canada. Akhila presented learnings from a developing pilot at Jacobi Medical Center in partnership with Arts in Medicine and conducted a survey with the audience to co-create borough-specific cultural asset maps that bridge continuity of care for their patient populations.


UPCOMING INSTALLATION AT NYC HEALTH + HOSPITALS/ELMHURST

Tomorrow, Arts in Medicine is installing 34 artworks from the collection across three spaces at NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst: Oncology, the Surgery floor and a meeting room for staff. This installation is the culmination of months of collaboration with Elmhurst staff to co-curate artworks, including pioneering artists like Ann Gillen and Jan Gelb to reduce stress and create an atmosphere that fosters empathy and connection.

METROPLUSHEALTH UPDATE

HIV CARE THROUGH THE ADVANCED CARE MANAGEMENT MODEL

MetroPlusHealth delivers high-quality, equitable care to individuals living with or at risk for HIV. The Partnership in Care (PIC) HIV Special Needs Plan (HIV SNP) reflects that commitment through a community-rooted, person-centered model designed to meet the complex medical and social needs of members.

That commitment has produced meaningful results. PIC has been recognized as New York State’s top-ranked HIV SNP for quality for three consecutive years (2021–2023), with 2024 results expected later this year. A key driver of this sustained performance is our two-decade partnership with New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) AIDS Institute—an invaluable collaboration that continues to strengthen our ability to deliver comprehensive, coordinated, and outcome-driven care.

In 2023, the AIDS Institute launched the Advanced Care Management (ACM) program, a clinical management framework designed to support HIV SNP members requiring intensive services. Through ACM, MetroPlusHealth has enhanced its ability to identify member needs earlier, improve treatment adherence, and strengthen coordination across medical, behavioral health, housing, and social services.

ACM has also expanded our collaboration with HIV specialty providers and community-based organizations across New York State. Today, MetroPlusHealth partners with eight HIV care facilities and networks that actively share clinical data and participate in multidisciplinary case reviews. This coordinated approach ensures that members facing challenges such as medication adherence issues, interruptions in care, or social barriers receive comprehensive, timely support that addresses both clinical and social service needs.

Importantly, ACM has strengthened PIC’s community and home-based outreach efforts, particularly around housing stability. PIC field navigators and MPH’s Housing Taskforce work together to provide targeted assistance to members experiencing housing insecurity. Since ACM’s launch, MPH has helped over 75 HIV SNP members secure stable housing, an essential foundation for improved health outcomes.

EXTERNAL AFFAIRS UPDATE

City

On March 2, 2026, NYC Health + Hospitals was invited to participate in the City Council hearing “Oversight: Impacts of the Maimonides Health System and NYC H + H Merger.” Dr. Mitch Katz provided testimony and participated in Q&A. On March 16, 2026, NYC Health + Hospitals was invited to participate in the City Council’s Preliminary Budget Hearing. Dr. Katz provided testimony and participated in Q&A, and John Ulberg and Dr. Patsy Yang participated in Q&A. On March 24, 2026, Dr. Jonathan Jimenez provided an overview of the NYC Care program to City Council staff, including new Council Member staff, during a virtual webinar. We hope to continue such informative webinars on topics of interest for our City Council colleagues.

State

Earlier this month, the Assembly and Senate each passed their one-house budget in response to the Governor’s proposed Executive budget for State FY 27 which starts April 1, 2026.

The Governor proposed up to $1.5 billion in funds to hospitals and nursing homes and up to $1 billion annually thereafter, subject to the availability of resources, and $60 million for health centers. Both the Senate and the Assembly build upon the Governor’s proposal related to Medicaid investments. We were pleased to see that both the Senate and Assembly provide additional Medicaid investments for hospitals, nursing homes, and health centers.

The Assembly increases the overall amount of funding available to hospitals and nursing homes by approximately $800 million in FY-27 and increases funding for health centers to $80M. Whereas the Senate modifies the Governor’s proposal by outlining how the funding should be distributed with $810 million going to hospitals, $540 million to nursing homes, and $150 million to other provider types. In relation to capital reimbursement, we appreciate that both houses of the Legislature address our needs. The Assembly proposes new funding of $1 billion for health care providers and the Senate propose $300 million. In addition, the Assembly addressed our concern about our aging infrastructure and proposes to restore the 20% cut in hospital capital reimbursement. This is important because the Governor’s proposal would extend the cut. We are gratefully that both houses address the majority of NYC Health + Hospitals priorities.

At this time, it is unlikely the budget will be passed by the April 1st deadline and we continue to advocate for the needs of the NYC Health + Hospitals system.

Late last week CMS approved New York State’s application to switch the Essential Plan (EP) 132 waiver back to its original Basic Health Plan (BHP) 1331 waiver. Reverting to the BHP will allow New York to maintain coverage for 1.3 million EP enrollees. NYC Health + Hospitals supported the State’s application to maintain coverage.  This action is a result of H.R.1 limiting eligibility for ACA Premium Tax Credits, excluding most types of lawfully present immigrants.

Federal

We are continuing advocacy to delay the H.R. 1 provisions that will be problematic for H+H and our patients. Additionally, we are closely monitoring possible efforts on the Hill to do a second reconciliation bill and what that might mean for additional hospital cuts.

Community Affairs

Many of the CABs across our ystem hosted advocacy meetings with their local NYS elected officials and/or hosted a legislative forum at their facility over the last two months. The Council of CABS met on March 3, 2026, CAB Chairs provided updates about their advocacy efforts. We are grateful to our legislative champions and their staffs for participating in all of these events.

The CAB Chairs from Sea View, South Brooklyn Health, Belvis, and Morrisania presented reports to the Community Relations Committee of the Board of Directors on March 3, 2026.

The Council of Auxiliaries met on March 4th, with 6 Auxiliaries represented, along with Auxiliary liaisons and Central Office staff. The chairs discussed their past fundraising efforts over the last quarter, along with upcoming events and discussed different issues and solutions, such as recruiting and membership.

CONTRACT DEVIATIONS REPORT

I approved three deviations this past month.

  1. The first deviations are in regards to emergency procurement for elevator modernization services at NYC Health + Hospitals/Bellevue and Lincoln.

    The specific elevators at Bellevue Hospital were originally installed in 1968. They have experienced persistent and recurring mechanical and electrical failures, frequently resulting in prolonged outages. Scope of work is currently estimated at $880,000, inclusive of a 20% contingency.
  2. At Lincoln Hospital, two elevators are well past their lifespan: one is inoperable and the requires significant repair. The scope of the work is currently estimate at $1,231,000, which includes a 10% contingency.
  3. The final deviation is an increase in the Not To Exceed amount for the health care systems’ EPIC contract. This is necessary as we begin to extend the electronic health record to Maimonides Medical Center and Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital. This requires increase in our NTE contract by $6 million for a new total NTE of $308,807,986.

NEWS FROM AROUND THE SYSTEM

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