SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University Names Lori Donnell Senior Associate Vice President For Health Affairs And Executive Director Of University Physicians Of Brooklyn
May 4, 2018
Brooklyn, NY— SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University today announced the appointment of Lori
Donnell as Senior Associate Vice President for Health Affairs, and Executive Director
of University Phyisicians of Brooklyn (UPB), the faculty practice of SUNY Downstate
Health Sciences University. Working with the College of Medicine and UPB Board, Ms.
Donnell will work on growth strategies to ensure operating efficiency in the delivery
of healthcare.
“Lori is a consummate professional with expertise and a passion for continually improving the healthcare industry,” said Downstate president Wayne Riley, M.D. “Her knowledge of healthcare delivery along with her transformative leadership style, will help inform and enhance our patients’ experiences as we seek new ways of engaging them.”
‘We are delighted to have Lori join us at UPB,” said William P. Urban, M.D, Chair of the UPB board and Chair of Orthopaedics at SUNY Downstate. “Her focus will be critical as we look for more effective and efficient ways to serve our patients while meeting our financial objectives. She has experience which will allow us to strengthen our service delivery and patient engagement initiatives.”
“We know how important access to healthcare and the patient experience are to our patients,” said Ms. Donnell. “By strengthening growth strategies, clinical operations, and community partnerships, we will expand in these areas to support UPB’s business and financial objectives; I am confident that working together we can uphold the operational excellence of our UPB physicians, and I look forward to working with them.”
Most recently, Lori served as the Chief Operating Officer at Chicago-based Friend Family Health Center (FFHC) where she provided day-to-day leadership and managed their Federally Qualified Health Center serving more than 37,000 residents annually.
Ms. Donnell developed and implemented plans for the operational infrastructure systems, budget development, and process improvement to accommodate the rapid-growth objectives of the organization. Under her leadership, FFHC developed two primary care expansion clinics and added dental services to its list of provided services.
Ms. Donnell also served as Senior Associate Vice President for Health Affairs at Meharry Medical College and Executive Director for the Meharry Medical Group in Nashville, Tennessee where she improved clinical operations, implemented proper operational controls, enhanced administrative and reporting procedures, and created systems to effectively grow the organization.
With more than three decades of experience in the healthcare delivery system, Ms. Donnell brings a notable record of success with a proven ability to develop and implement process improvement strategies that support business and meet financial objectives. She has served on several teams to achieve Joint Commission Accreditation and PCMH/NCQA Recognition. She is recognized as an expert in applying patient satisfaction initiatives, quality enhancement, and improving the overall patient experience.
Ms. Donnell holds a bachelor’s degree from Baker University in Baldwin City, KS, and a Master’s in Business Administration and Healthcare Management from the University of Phoenix.
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About SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Downstate Health Sciences University in Brooklyn is one of four academic health centers (AMCs) in The State University of New York (SUNY) 64-campus system and the only SUNY AMC in New York City dedicated to health education, research, and patient care for the borough’s 2.7 million residents. Its flagship hospital, University Hospital at Downstate (UHD), is a teaching hospital and benefits from the expertise of Downstate’s exceptional medical school and world-class academic center research facilities. With a staff of over 800 physicians representing 53 specialties and subspecialties, Downstate offers comprehensive healthcare services to the community.
UHD provides high-risk neonatal and infant services, pediatric nephrology, and dialysis for kidney diseases and is the only kidney transplantation program in Brooklyn. Beyond its clinical expertise, Downstate houses a range of esteemed educational institutions, including its College of Medicine, College of Nursing, School of Health Professions, School of Graduate Studies, and School of Public Health. Downstate fosters innovation through its multifaceted biotechnology initiative, the Biotechnology Incubator and BioBAT, which support early-stage and more mature biotech companies.