Keynote Speaker:
John Nance, J.D.
Author and ABC News Analyst
One of the major thought leaders to emerge in American healthcare in the past decade, John Nance brings a rich and varied professional background to the task of helping doctors, administrators, boards, and frontline staff survive and prosper during the most profoundly challenging upheaval in the history of modern medicine. He is a pioneering and well-known advocate of using the lessons from the recent revolution in aviation safety to improve the patient safety performance of hospitals, doctors, nurses, and all of healthcare. Having helped lead the patient safety renaissance as one of the founders of the National Patient Safety Foundation, his efforts are dedicated to reforming healthcare from a reactive cottage industry to an effective and safe system of prevention and wellness. A lawyer, U.S. Air Force and airline pilot, prolific internationally-published author, national broadcaster, and renowned professional speaker, Mr. Nance’s leadership is propelled by a deep commitment to improving care.
Lunch Speaker:
William Streck, M.D.
Chief Medical and Health Systems Innovation Officer, Healthcare Association of New York State
Dr. William Streck is an accomplished leader, a champion of patient care, and an innovative force in healthcare. Through leadership, outreach, and research initiatives, Dr. Streck works with HANYS’ members to facilitate transitions in meeting key healthcare delivery reform imperatives. Dr. Streck works with HANYS’ member hospitals and health systems with a focus on emerging models of care, population health initiatives, risk management strategies, and physician relationships. In addition, he works with HANYS’ businesses to evaluate, develop, and execute new data-driven products and services that guide members’ efforts to execute population health initiatives and risk management strategies. Before joining HANYS in December 2014, Dr. Streck was one of the longest serving health system executives in New York State and the country, having retired in July 2014 after 30 years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Bassett Healthcare Network in Cooperstown. His keen understanding of the healthcare environment and trends led to his serving five New York State governors on advisory boards, key Department of Health committees, and state policy groups. In addition, Dr. Streck has served on various professional and policy groups at the state and national levels, including serving as Chairman of the HANYS Board of Trustees and as Chair of the Public Health and Health Planning Council of New York State, and serving on numerous boards of trustees. Dr. Streck received his Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Oklahoma State University and his medical degree from the University of Missouri. He began his medical career at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York.
Care Transitions Speakers:
Diane Nanno, M.S., C.N.S., R.N.
Director of Transitional Care, Upstate University Hospital
Diane Nanno is a clinical nurse specialist with extensive experience in the clinical and transitional care of medically complex patients and families with diverse needs. She has 25 years of home health case management, cardiac and telehealth team management, program development, and clinical management experience. In her position at Upstate University Hospital, she works to enhance processes, develop programs, and foster partnerships to improve patient transitions across the continuum of care. Ms. Nanno oversees Upstate’s case management, social work, patient education and interpretive services, and chronic disease management departments, and is a member of the Clinical Governance Committee for the Central New York Care Collaborative. She also serves as a regional coordinator and trainer for the National Care Transitions Intervention Team at the University of Colorado, Denver. Before joining Upstate, Ms. Nanno practiced as a Certified Transition Coach at Crouse Hospital in Syracuse, New York. Ms. Nanno received her Master of Science degree in Clinical Nurse Specialist/Transitional Care from the State University of New York (SUNY) Upstate Medical University. She is a geriatric resource nurse, a member of the American Association of Heart Failure Nurses, American Nurses Association, Sigma Theta Tau, New York Organization of Nurse Executives, and the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists. She is certified in care coordination and transition management, and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse.
Kelly Mussi, M.S.N., R.N.
Assistant Director of Transition Care Services, SUNY Upstate University Hospital
Kelly Mussi’s background includes 15 years of home care and public health experience. Her responsibilities include developing comprehensive population health programs, supporting cross-setting partnerships among all post-acute partners, and oversight of case management department activities to improve population health outcomes. She also chairs Upstate University Hospital’s Opioid Task Force. Ms. Mussi is certified in chronic disease management and chronic integrated care
Anu Banerjee, M.S. M.H.M.
Chief Quality and Innovation, Arnot Health System
With 16 years of experience in the areas of healthcare innovation and operations, Anu Banerjee has provided outstanding leadership in project development and implementation, facilitated informed decisions in management reporting, and optimized patient care outcomes. He has innovated predictive healthcare analytics by strengthening data and information capabilities and centralized data flow, with a focus on solving potential problems in healthcare. As the Chief Quality and Innovation Officer, Anu is responsible for identifying and implementing a variety of initiatives focused on improving the overall quality of patient care at Arnot Health. He provides professional mentoring with the vision and strategy to motivate quality performance. He is a recipient of multiple national awards for his extensive achievements in healthcare. These achievements manifest themselves in research facilitated through his work on major health field panels, and contributions that have earned global health field recognition. He has shown outstanding skills in designing infrastructure for innovative technology and implementing new workflows to holistically improve healthcare. He has expertise in medium- and large-scale healthcare organizations.
His work with reputable and influential healthcare companies reveals his dedication to the healthcare field and persistence to enact change and improve the healthcare infrastructure. With his drive toward research, he continues to publish, review, and present his reviews and findings in top journals and article sources.
Walter A. Polashenski, Jr., M.D.
Associate Chief of Medicine, Rochester Regional Health
Dr. Walter Polashenski is responsible for the oversight of hospital medicine at four hospitals in the Rochester Regional Health System. He is also the Division Head and founding member of the Rochester General Hospitalist Group. He is a system leader in hospital flow initiatives and physician advisor for Rochester General Hospital’s transition of care program. As part of his work in transitions of care he established Rochester General Hospital’s (RGH) complex discharge committee and the behavioral management team. Before work in hospital medicine, Dr. Polashenski was Associate Program Director for the RGH Internal Medicine Residency Program and the Site Director for the University of Rochester Internal Medicine Clerkship. He is a Religious Study graduate of the University of Rochester. He earned his medical degree at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and completed his Internal Medicine Residency at the University of Rochester Primary Care Program.
Opioid Epidemic Speakers:
Timothy Wiegand, M.D., D.A.B.A.M., F.A.C.M.T., F.A.A.C.T.
Director of Toxicology, URMC and Addiction Program Medical Director, Huther Doyle
Dr. Timothy Wiegand serves as the Director of Toxicology and of the Toxicology Consult Service at University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC). Dr. Wiegand is an Associate Clinical Professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at URMC and a volunteer faculty member of the SUNY Upstate Medical Toxicology Fellowship program. He was the Medical Director of the Rochester Poison Center until 2010. Dr. Wiegand’s research interests include billing, reimbursement, and effectiveness of medical toxicology practice models, and warning signs for suicide attempt and the involvement of alcohol or drugs in a suicide attempt. He is involved with wide variety of surveillance and research projects involving the American College of Medical Toxicology’s Toxic Case Registry. He graduated from Iowa State University and received his Medical Degree from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. Dr. Wiegand completed a categorical internal medicine residency at Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota and completed fellowship training in Medical Toxicology and Clinical Pharmacology at the University of California, San Francisco. Dr. Wiegand became board certified in addiction medicine in 2015.
Jennifer Faringer, M.S.E.D., C.P.Pg.
Director, DePaul’s National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence-Rochester Area
Jennifer Faringer has worked in the field of substance use disorder (SUD) prevention education since 1988. She has been involved in the development of education and awareness training for communities and schools, as well as professional SUD training. She was appointed to the Monroe County Community Services Board and chairs its Substance Use Disorder Sub-Committee. She chairs the Monroe County Opioid Task Force, and actively serves on the Council on Addictions of New York State, Finger Lakes Consortium of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, Association of Substance Abuse Providers of New York State’s NYS Certification Board, and the local ROCovery Fitness Board. Ms. Faringer received her undergraduate degree from Syracuse University and her Master’s degree from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport. She holds the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services (OASAS) credential for prevention professionals, with a sub-specialty in problem gambling prevention. In 2011, OASAS named her the 2011 Prevention Practitioner of the Year. In 2001 she was recognized by her peers of the Finger Lakes CASA for her outstanding contributions to the field. She has presented locally and at state and national conferences. She frequently presents at community, school, and university settings on a variety of substance abuse-related topics, such as the opioid crisis, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, environmental prevention, and problem gambling.
Care Transitions Panelists:
Betty Rabinowitz, M.D., F.A.C.P.
Chief Executive Officer, EagleDream Health (previously Medical Director, URMC)
Dr. Betty Rabinowitz leads EagleDream Health, a healthcare analytics software solutions company based in Rochester, New York. A general internist, Dr. Rabinowitz served as Medical Director of the University of Rochester’s Medical Center’s Center for Primary Care, overseeing clinical operations and population health management efforts for the university’s employed primary care network. Dr. Rabinowitz is a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine. While at the University of Rochester, Dr. Rabinowitz’s work focused on the use of data analytics to measure clinical quality and outcomes. Beginning in 2009, Dr. Rabinowitz led the development of an innovative clinical reporting system that supported multiple university quality initiatives, care management, and gain sharing contracts. Dr. Rabinowitz stepped down from practice and her leadership position in February of 2015 to devote her full-time efforts to EagleDream Health.
Suzanne M. Gillespie, M.D., R.D., C.M.D. F.A.C.P.
Associate Chief of Staff, Geriatrics and Extended Care Rehabilitation, VA/Monroe Community Hospital and Highland Hospital
Dr. Suzanne Gillespie is Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Geriatrics/Aging and Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She is board-certified in internal medicine, geriatric medicine, and hospice and palliative medicine. She completed her undergraduate degree with honors in nutritional science at Cornell University and began her career in healthcare as a registered dietitian. She went on to graduate from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and to complete residency and fellowship training at the University of Rochester Medical Center. Dr. Gillespie is dedicated to her clinical practice in long-term care. Dr. Gillespie is Associate Chief of Staff for Geriatrics Extended Care & Rehabilitation and Medical Director of the Community Living Center at the Canandaigua VA Medical Center. She is also a Lead Physician of its palliative medicine and hospice care and patient safety programs. She is a two-time recipient of the competitive Geriatric Academic Career Award from the U.S Department of Health and Human Services for her work in geriatric education related to quality improvement in long-term care. Dr. Gillespie is active in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing health professional education. She is currently the primary investigator on a VA Health Services Research and Development study, “Factors Associated with Institutional Use by Veterans in Home Based Primary Care.” Dr. Gillespie chairs the House of Delegates of the Society for Post-Acute and Long Term Care Medicine and serves on its Board of Directors.
Annie Wells
Director, Care Transitions, Lifespan of Greater Rochester
Annie Wells has 30 years of experience in the fields of aging and disability. Ms. Wells oversees the initiatives at Lifespan aimed at improving healthcare outcomes for older adults by addressing the social determinants of health. Lifespan was awarded a three-year contract for the New York State Department of Health’s Community Care Connections demonstration project to break down the traditional barriers and silos between community-based aging services and medical systems of care to help a growing population of older adults access supportive services, reduce hospital admissions/readmissions and emergency department visits, and reduce caregiver burden.
Elizabeth Zicari, R.N., B.S.N., C.E.N.P.
Administrator and President, HCR Home Care
Elizabeth Zicari leads HCR Home Care, New York’s most geographically expansive home care provider, serving 22 upstate counties, and has been with the organization for more than 15 years. She has 30 years of professional experience in nursing, administration, and business management with expertise in home healthcare, transcultural care, regulatory compliance, and quality improvement. Ms. Zicari began her nursing career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service/Indian Health Service and has specialized in community healthcare in both rural and urban settings since that time. She serves on the boards of the Home Care Association of New York State and New York Organization of Nurse Executives and Leaders, and serves as President of the Finger Lakes Organization of Nurse Executives, and on the Nursing Department Advisory Board at St. John Fisher College and State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport. Ms. Zicari is active statewide on Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) leadership committees, served on the DSRIP Clinical Advisory Group for Value-Based Purchasing, and is a member of the Medical Society of the State of New York (MSSNY)-HCA joint task force to remove obstacles to access community-based long-term care. Ms. Zicari holds a Certification in Executive Nursing Practice, is a Johnson and Johnson/Wharton Executive Nurse Fellow, and received her Bachelor’s degree in Nursing from Salve Regina College in Newport, Rhode Island.
Jeanne Chirico, M.P.A.
Vice President of Community Services, Lifetime Care
Jeanne Chirico is the Vice President of Community Services for Lifetime Care, the region’s largest Home Care and Hospice organization, which is a leader in quality home care, care transitions, hospice, and cutting-edge telemedicine. Ms. Chirico is responsible for the Lifetime Care hospice and palliative care program within Monroe, Wayne, and Seneca counties, and is the administrator for Home Care Plus, the licensed agency serving 18 counties in upstate New York. Ms. Chirico is also responsible for the implementation, management, and expansion of the care transitions program sponsored by the Excellus BlueCross and BlueShield Company and MVP Health Care insurance products to prevent 30-day readmissions. Ms. Chirico has extensive experience in program development and grassroots community initiatives including a major undertaking leading to the creation of a nationally recognized pediatric palliative care program, CompassionNet.
Trilby de Jung, J.D. (Moderator)
Chief Executive Officer, Common Ground Health
As Common Ground Health’s Chief Executive Officer, Trilby de Jung is the strategic leader of a regional health improvement agency with an annual budget of more than $5 million and a team of more than 40 policy analysts, clinicians, researchers, and community engagement specialists. She works collaboratively with leaders from business, insurance, healthcare services, community services, consumer advocacy, and education in New York’s nine-county Finger Lakes region to lead data-driven solutions to healthcare needs and priorities. Ms. de Jung also represents the region on several statewide policy committees, including the New York State Health Innovation Council, Value-Based Payment Workgroup, and Medicaid Managed Care Advisory Review Panel. Before joining Common Ground Health in 2014, Ms. de Jung directed health advocacy work at the Empire Justice Center, a statewide nonprofit law firm working to improve systems affecting low-income families through policy change, litigation, and education. From 1995 to 1999, Ms. de Jung served on the faculty at New York University School of Law, where she taught courses and developed curricula in lawyering and mitigation, including modules on meta-analysis of jury and group dynamics and agenda setting for informal advocacy in structured meetings. Ms. de Jung also spent four years as Deputy Director of Policy at the AIDS Institute of the New York State Department of Health. Ms. de Jung holds a Juris Doctor degree from Northwestern School of Law, Lewis & Clark College and a Bachelor’s degree in environmental politics from Colorado College.
Opioid Epidemic Panelists:
Rich Funke
New York State Senator, District 55
Senator Rich Funke was elected in November 2014 to represent the New York State Senate's 55th District, covering parts of Monroe and Ontario counties. He Chairs the Senate Committee on Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks & Recreation and serves as Vice-Chair for Science, Technology, Incubation, and Entrepreneurship. He also serves on seven other committees, including Aging, Agriculture, Cities, Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business, Environmental Conservation, Consumer Protection, and Higher Education. Senator Funke is also a member of the New York State Senate Heroin Task Force. A Hall of Fame broadcaster and trusted community voice, Senator Funke served on-air at News10NBC Rochester for over 40 years until his retirement in December 2012. He has devoted his time and energy to Golisano Children's Hospital, Cancer Action, Ronald McDonald House, Camp Good Days and Special Times, and other charitable causes. Senator Funke is a member of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Foundation and serves as a Lector at St. John of Rochester Church. He earned his business degree from Adelphi University.
Adrian Leibovici, M.D.
Rochester Regional Health System
Dr. Adrian Leibovici specializes in adult behavioral and mental health at Rochester Regional Health. He has served as Chair of Psychiatry at Rochester General Hospital since 2012. In addition to his specialty in general adult behavioral and mental health, Dr. Leibovici has a particular focus on geriatric mental health. He has been published in several books and articles about psychopharmacology in nursing homes and general treatment of patients with dementia and Alzheimer’s in those facilities. A native of Romania, Dr. Leibovici received his undergraduate and medical degrees from Carol Davila Medical School in Bucharest, Romania. In 1986, he received his New York State Medical license after completing his residency at the University of Rochester, where he also obtained a fellowship. He served as a diplomat for the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology in 1987. Dr. Leibovici has also been a professor of psychiatry for more than 30 years. Dr. Leibovici speaks English, French, and Romanian.
Mark Winsberg, M.D., B.C.F.M., D.A.B.A.M.
Parkridge Chemical Dependency Programs
Dr. Mark Winsberg is the Clinical Director of Chemical Dependency Services at the Unity Hospital Campus of Rochester Regional Health. He is board certified in both Addiction Medicine and Family Medicine. Dr. Winsberg received his M.D. from Stanford Medical School and completed the Family Medicine Residency at Highland Hospital. He worked in the Emergency Department of Clifton Springs Hospital for 17 years, 12 of which he served as the Emergency Department Medical Director. Dr. Winsberg has worked in the Addiction Medicine Field since 2008, first at the John L. Norris Clinic Addiction Treatment Center, then, for the last three years in his current position. He is an active member of both the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Academy of Family Medicine.
Mandy Teeter, M.B.A., M.S.W.
Monroe County Mental Health Clinics
Mandy Teeter is the Director of Operational Excellence and Adult Mental Health at Rochester Regional Health. In this role she is responsible for the Behavioral Health Department’s regulatory compliance and strategic planning. She works with clinical leadership to define and implement essential metrics to demonstrate overall department performance. In addition, she is responsible for the operation oversight, fiscal management, and performance of the Rochester Regional Health Adult Mental Health Clinics. Ms. Teeter has worked in the behavioral health field for fifteen years in both chemical dependency and mental health settings. She has worked closely with various stakeholders on healthcare transformation initiatives and is committed to ensuring that healthcare transformation meets the needs of the patients and communities it intends to serve. Ms. Teeter obtained a dual Bachelor’s Degree from SUNY Brockport in Health Science and Psychology and dual Master’s Degrees from the University of Buffalo in Business Administration and Social Work.
Colin Scantlin, M.P.A., B.S.N., R.N.
Rochester Regional Health
Colin Scantlin is Director of Acute Psychiatric Services at Rochester Regional Health. As a behavioral health leader with nearly 25 years’ experience, Colin is committed to involving patients as an integral part of clinical and programmatic change. Colin has worked with staff and patients to transform the acute psychiatric services experience, resulting in improved patient experiences, improved rates of recovery, reduced lengths of stay, and an increase in transition to community-based services. He credits his focus on patient and program strengths with achieving these goals. Colin (and team) received the 2017 Greater Rochester Quality Council Pathfinder Award for Team Excellence as a result of the psychiatric inpatient program redesign. He is a Registered Nurse who holds a Bachelor’s degree in Nursing Science from St. John Fisher College as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration with a Healthcare Emphasis from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Brockport.
Patrick Seche, M.S., C.A.S.A.C.
Director, Strong Recovery, Strong Memorial Hospital
Patrick Seche is a member of the Department of Psychiatry Faculty at the University of Rochester Medical Center (UR Medicine) and Director of Strong Recovery, which is part of Strong Memorial Hospital’s Addiction Psychiatry Division. Strong Recovery consists of two ambulatory clinics 'an opioid treatment program and a chemical dependence outpatient program' that together provide comprehensive outpatient services to more than 800 patients. Mr. Seche is also an Associate Clinical Administrator for the Department of Psychiatry, overseeing the integration of addiction services throughout the UR Medicine system and projects involving mental health and substance use disorder services. Mr. Seche has 20 years of experience in the field of addiction treatment, including work in community-based organizations before joining UR Medicine in 2001. He currently serves on the New York State Conference of Local Mental Hygiene Directors’ Regional Planning Consortium, the Board of the Monroe County Heroin/Opioid Task Force, and the insurance and regulatory workgroups of the Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services. He is a member of the Executive Board of Finger Lakes Regional Consortium of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, and currently serves as President of the Consortium. Mr. Seche received his Bachelor of Science degree in Health Sciences and Substance Abuse Studies from the State University of New York College at Brockport and his Master of Science degree in Management from Nazareth College. He has been a New York State Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor since 2000.