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Getting to Know Derek Anderson: ‘Plugged In’ & Engaged

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How he is Leading Northern Westchester Hospital into the Future

In a ‘catching up’ conversation with Derek Anderson – the dynamic new head of Northern Westchester Hospital – I learned that he arrived following 11 years at North Shore University Hospital (also a Northwell facility) in the fall of 2019 to begin transitioning to his new lead role. Anderson was succeeding Joel Seligman following his retirement as NWH’s popular CEO for 19 years.

Over the course of the interview, it became quickly apparent that Anderson, the 39-year-old Salt Lake City native, husband to wife Jamie, an educator, and father of four, and not to mention, triathlete!!!, has since hit the ground running leading the beloved hospital’s staff and employees – some 3,000 staff and physicians – during a pandemic and into the foreseeable future…

Photo courtesy of NWH

Since his transition, Anderson has thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the NWH team. “I’ve just witnessed steady growth, and I love it. The hospital is a dynamic place with an incredible culture,” he said.

We spoke right away about all the planning for the annual fundraising gala coming up in November this year at the Ward Pound Ridge Reservation! To learn more about either donating or attending the gala, please visit: nwhconnect.org/2022gala

Addressing an exciting challenge, Anderson relayed that Northern Westchester Hospital is developing into a full-fledged teaching center to train physicians starting in June of 2024. While medical and nursing students have long received training here, the transition will be to training residents as well, he explained.

Anderson moved from Long Island to Westchester as he took over the top job. “I find it impossible to do a job like this without really, truly being a member of the community.” Fortunately, the transition has been a happy one, with Anderson describing “a special quality of the surrounding community, making it welcoming and different than I’ve experienced in other parts of New York. Not to say anything negative about anywhere in New York, but it’s just very different up here. I love how warm and collegial everyone has been.”

KEY PARTNERSHIPS

Anderson shares his gratitude for the many diverse hospital partnerships that help make the hospital staff’s work possible and rewarding. “Connecting with mayors and town supervisors in Mount Kisco and neighboring towns, with community members, Neighbors Link, the Boys and Girls Club, the Community Center of Northern Westchester… these are all relationships and partnerships that frankly, without whom we could not survive and do what we do as a community hospital.”

To that end, Anderson shared that he has “thoroughly enjoyed getting to know people and understanding how all the pieces fit together” in Northern Westchester.

Anderson offered insight on his work style and approach to connectivity: “I love thinking differently, exploring new ideas…. I don’t spend a lot of time in my office… I love to be plugged in, aware… connected. I feel that it helps me understand how to guide the future of this hospital more when I understand the challenges that our community, staff and the patients face.”

Anderson said that the overall vision for the hospital in the future “is really to be at the pinnacle of best in class, quality healthcare.” However, the hospital’s “vision will continue to evolve based on the needs of the community, so, I don’t think I could ever say that we’ve arrived at our vision if I’m being honest.”

The high-quality health care that can be received at NWH is clear as “the hospital has been designated for many years as a Planetree Gold, with Distinction hospital, which in the healthcare industry is a coveted, distinguished kind of honor that talks about how focused we are on the patient,” said Anderson.

He then gave further insight into what makes Northern Westchester Hospital so unique: “We’re incredibly well positioned since we’re close to New York City, which means a lot of physicians that have trained at arguably some of the best institutions in New York are living and thriving within this local community. They have a vested interest in wanting healthcare and medical care in this community to be successful. So, because of that, and just because of the nature of the area that we live in up in Northern Westchester, we have a very impressive, high concentration of excellent medical providers, nurses, and healthcare professionals in every arena.”

A patient receiving health care at NWH gets the benefits of both excellent care and staying close to home for it. “COVID has taught us that a lot of us really don’t have much of an interest in traveling into the city and if I could tell you that we offer you the same high quality New York physicians in a more personalized setting–a smaller hospital close to home with the same outcomes and the same high quality–I think anyone would say, well, of course I’d love to have that service done locally,” says Anderson.

RESPECT FOR THE TEAM

The health and welfare of hospital staff (or team members, as NWH refers to them as well) has always been paramount, but with COVID’s impact too, close attention to enhancing employee health and work life reached new heights, from assorted celebrations of first responders during the pandemic to the hospital recently opening a gym for its staff… “because all rely on our own mental and physical health, and our team is no different,” said Anderson. “The fitness center that we opened, with the help of the Ed and Phyllis Lashins family, really helped us make that vision happen.”

The hospital values and tries to harness the voices of their team through listening sessions and a ‘shared governance.’ structure, which gives staff, at all levels, a voice in decision making. “We truly believe that the hospital can be a better place if our employees ‘co-decision’ with us,” shares Anderson. “Everyone has had the experience of going into a restaurant or a store and if the staff member, the team member there is engaged, it makes all the difference with your experience. Health care is no different.”

Since the hospital has approximately 1,700 team members and 1,000 medical staff providers (physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, midwives, etc.), Anderson notes that “the community can know that there’s almost 3,000 of us entirely focused on how to provide the highest care, the best care, to the community, and, because so many of us live in this community, there’s a real incentive for us to get this right.”

FOCUS AND TRUE GRIT

Anderson noted that one of the hospital’s big projects coming up is the full modernization of their obstetrics and gynecology services, “maternity, labor, delivery, and postpartum – all of those services are getting a full upgrade.” That’s approximately a $45 million dollar investment in the hospital, and in the community. We’re very excited about this unit.”

A cardiac catheterization program, “a 24/7 heart center,” opened in the fall of 2020 during the brunt of the pandemic, “which also just shows the focus and true grit of the team,” said Anderson. “We easily had an excuse to push that off a year or two, but the team continued to want to bring that service close to home… these are often life-threatening events, so being closer to home makes all the difference. That’s just one example of how we’re transforming the hospital.”

In addition, working in tandem with his counterpart Eileen Egan at Phelps Memorial Hospital, Anderson also shared that the increasingly close working relationship between the two Northwell Hospitals, has been nothing but a boon to Westchester residents who rely on both facilities for excellence in health care in multiple arenas.

“Perhaps historically, 10, 15, 20 years ago, one could argue that the two hospitals ‘competed’. Now it’s quite the opposite. It’s, how do we come together? Because at the end of the day, we’re both serving our communities and if we can do it together, we’re stronger.”

Anderson and his family.

Anderson then gave a short but valuable window into his personal life and values. “My focus first and foremost is family,” he said. “I love spending time with the kids and Jamie [his wife], of course.”

He is also a triathlete, so he engages in a lot of physical activity, whether he is training or just spending time with his family: “We spend most of our weekends outdoors. We love to hike and bike. Swimming is a big part of our lives.”

He recently partook in a Half Ironman in Maryland (totaling 70.3 miles), and another race in Pawling, NY. He is especially passionate about running, swimming, and biking as they clear his mind, keep him healthy, and are enjoyable.

It can be safely argued that Anderson brings his personal ‘can do’ and ‘do it well’ spirit to his role at NWH. “When the hospital makes decisions,” he said, “we’re not just going to do something for the sake of doing it. If we’re going do it, we’re going to do it right.”

A Heartwarming Nursing Commitment in Response to COVID-19 at Northern Westchester Hospital

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Speaking on behalf of the leadership team at Northern Westchester Hospital, Cathy Manley-Cullen, MS, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer at NWH, offered a heartwarming account of the commitment and camaraderie she is witnessing amongst the hospital’s nursing staff-over 500 full and part time nurses serve some dozen or more departments and units-as they navigate a public health emergency due to COVID-19.

“They couldn’t be more willing to jump in and do whatever they can,” said Manley-Cullen.

“They are incredibly inspiring and positive the way they are supporting each other too, rotating on different units that they maybe didn’t work on previously–just to give everyone a little respite,” she said. “They are doing all of this while everyone is trying to just lead their lives… like everyone else, the children are home; we have to do homeschooling and a host of other things.”

Derek Anderson, executive director, Northern Westchester Hospital relayed that as of April 1, 2020, the hospital is actively treating approximately 55 patients who have tested positive for COVID-19, with approximately 20 more being ruled out. Many more have been treated in our Emergency Department, but did not require hospitalization, and are recovering from the virus at home.

Manley-Cullen described the atmosphere as being one of a spirit of cooperation with nurses generously helping their fellow nurses where they are needed most. “The nurses are working on different units that they don’t typically work on all the time. “Maybe a nurse on the 7th floor telemetry unit ( a critical care area) or from the OR (operating room) or ambulatory surgery unit (which are all seeing fewer patients right now)  are helping out more on floors where nurses are seeing more patients with COVID-19.

This is also not the first and will likely not be the last time nurses find themselves on the frontlines of a public health emergency. “There’s been quite a few public health crises over the years, and nursing and health care in general is no stranger to crises, whether it’s hurricanes or infectious diseases; we plan for this, always, so we can be prepared as possible.”

Three new phone lines are being made available too. The first, a line for employees “who maybe don’t feel well themselves,” said Manley-Cullen. A second line is for the community at large-for anyone seeking information about COVID-19.  Finally, the hospital is “in the process of setting up a ‘Wellness’ line for employees who wish to talk through issues.”

 “The nurses are also busy connecting with family members because right now visitors are not allowed in the hospital. We are also making sure we call and speak to family, and giving not only updates about their loved ones, but also just being available for them and their well-being and anything they may be struggling with.”

“We are not seeing staff overwhelmed,” emphasized Manley-Cullen. “What we are seeing is an incredibly positive attitude. A lot of that has to do with the great resources we have available here at NWH which is part of Northwell, a much bigger healthcare system. At this juncture, she said, supplies are plentiful, and nurses and all healthcare staff have the personal protective equipment they need. “It’s a big burden if you’re worrying about your equipment or if you’re safe. That’s just not the case here.”

NWH Food Service employees expressing gratitude too.

Every recovery is a reason for optimism. One patient offered this testimonial: “I was just discharged last night from Northern Westchester Hospital after four nights. I am an unlikely survivor of COVID-19 being 73 1/2 with asthma and just having recently had a stroke. I was overwhelmed by the competence and caring of your staff who did all they could to attend to me and make me comfortable. I felt like I was in the presence of greatness. Thanks, E.P.”

In the meantime, the hospital remains very much open to serving patients no matter what their medical concern, too.  “We want people to understand that if they need to come to the hospital, or if they’re sick, they should,” said Manley-Cullen. “We don’t want people to be fearful of coming to the hospital or staying home if they have a legitimate medical concern or alarming sign, such as chest pain, that they need to have addressed.  We are still caring for people whatever their needs may be.”

Manley-Cullen also acknowledged the “incredible support from the community to support the nursing staff.” People are donating food. Restaurants are delivering food. People are sending messages and encouraging video clips. Nurses are staying in touch with each other on social media. School children have been drawing pictures for our team. We have a wall filled with pictures the school kids have drawn to say thank you. Everyone just wants to help in any way they can.”

The community’s warm outpouring has helped the staff feel really supported. “People are wearing masks so it’s hard to get facial expressions, but they are smiling. You can tell by their eyes!”

Chance to Help Raise Dollars to Support Local Health Care Workers and Local Restaurants

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With our healthcare providers & first responders on the front lines tirelessly fighting the Coronavirus pandemic, and with the peak of the infection still two to three weeks away, so many residents are asking how they can help. Likewise, our residents want to help our restaurants which are struggling with the restrictions. Here’s a way to support our healthcare providers and support our local restaurants…..we are raising money to pay for meals from local restaurants which will be delivered to Northern Westchester Hospital, Westchester Medical Center, Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital & Phelps Hospital. Participating restaurants include:

Le Jardin
Kittle House
Ibiza Kitchen
Quaker Hill Tavern
Lange’s
Old Stone Trattoria
Pizza Station
Taco Street
Rocky’s
A&S Fine Foods of Millwood

Former New Castle Town Supervisor Rob Greenstein stated, “so many of our residents are looking for ways to help those heroes on the frontline of this battle. They also want to help our incredible local restaurants who are really hurting right now. This initiative accomplishes both. The response has been overwhelming. Our residents are so generous!”

Georgia Frasch, Administrator of Facebook group Chappaqua Moms, states “In the absence of having a stock of surgical masks and gowns in most of our closets, we wanted to come up with a way the community could support our health care providers on the front lines. Knowing that these people are working double shifts with limited supplies, not seeing their families and daily exposure to the virus, we are hoping to provide them with some nourishment and comfort to show our gratitude and respect for all that they are doing to keep us healthy”

Deborah Garfield, stated “The grassroots group is in touch with and will be providing meals to several units at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital, including the emergency room, various patient floors and the intensive care unit. We will include more local hospitals as we confirm contacts who can arrange for ordering and contactless pick-ups. People should reach out to us if they are affiliated with an institution that wants to be included.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/New-Castle-Donates-Meals-to-Healthcare-Workers?fbclid=IwAR2zV3HzEjMytHstieeGuGPHsLw_kLzFzDVgkjtq2jbRCXZC2SUyKjriK8M

Northern Westchester Hospital to Honor Joel Seligman and Seema Boesky At 2019 Gala

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Joel Seligman – photo credit: Todd Shapera

Mt. Kisco, New York— Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH) will honor outgoing President and CEO Joel Seligman and philanthropist Seema Boesky at the hospital’s annual gala on Saturday, November 2, 2019 in a spectacular tent on the Hospital’s campus. The event is co-chaired by Brenda and Victor Khabie, MD.

The announcement was made by Keeva Young-Wright, President of the NWH Foundation and Vice President of External Affairs at NWH.

“We are delighted to honor Joel Seligman, who is retiring from his position as President and CEO of Northern Westchester Hospital after nearly two decades of extraordinary service and leadership, and Seema Boesky for her many years of generosity and support of Northern Westchester Hospital,” she said. “Joel has worked tirelessly to ensure Northern Westchester Hospital is a leading provider of innovative, evidenced-based patient-centered care. Seema has supported Joel’s vision and NWH’s mission, and through her philanthropic generosity, she has helped NWH bring advanced surgical and emergency care to our region.”

Mr. Seligman passes the torch after guiding Northern Westchester Hospital through some of its most transformative years. Since joining the hospital in 2001, he has been a powerful and effective advocate for clinical excellence, improved quality, strong financial stewardship, patient engagement and expanded community outreach.

Mr. Seligman announced his retirement plans earlier this year and will remain through the end of the year to work closely with Derek Anderson, the hospital’s new executive director, through the transition.

Under Mr. Seligman’s leadership, NWH has become a top destination for robotic surgery, orthopedics, cancer and breast care, as well as surgical weight loss, physical therapy and rehabilitation. In 2007, NWH became one of the first Planetree-designated hospitals in the US for exceptional patient-centered care. After the hospital was re-designated with distinction by Planetree and received Magnet designation — the gold standard for nursing care — from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, Northern Westchester became the only hospital in the country to achieve both accolades. Planetree honored Mr. Seligman with its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.

When NWH became a member of Northwell Health in 2014, Mr. Seligman managed the hospital’s successful integration process for its clinical and support programs. He has also played an active role in health policy, serving as a state delegate of the American Hospital Association’s regional policy board, chair of the Northern Metropolitan Hospital Association and treasurer of the Healthcare Association of New York State’s (HANYS) Board of Governors. He is currently a member of the HANYS Executive Committee.

Mr. Seligman is a resident of Pound Ridge.

Seema Boesky – photo credit: Jim D’Angelo

Seema Boesky, community member, philanthropist and long-time supporter of NWH and several local organizations, is co-honoree along with Mr. Seligman. By the age of 13, Seema and her sister were co-owners of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the crown jewel of her father’s vast real estate holdings. By her early 20s, she was on the hotel’s board, and eventually took control of all her family’s properties. In 1987, she sold the Beverly Hills Hotel for a record-breaking price, and in the 1990s, she liquidated the family’s Northview Corporation and remaining businesses in order to pursue her philanthropic interests.

Since then, she has dedicated herself to philanthropy, immersing herself in understanding the needs of others and the role she can play in addressing unmet needs. She was a founding member of the Eagle School, the school for international Studies at Princeton, the Family Center in Somerville, MA, and a founder of the American Russian Youth Orchestra. In addition, she honored her mother’s memory by establishing the Gertrude Silberstein Pain Clinic at Ford Hospital in Detroit. She also serves as president of the Silberstein Boesky Family Foundation focusing on enhancing the lives of underprivileged children. Her Charitable Trust supports a variety of interests, including saving lives, curing depression, and preserving art.

In addition to providing financial support for charitable institutions, Ms. Boesky gives her time. Locally, she served as a board member and honoree at the Caramoor Music Center; the Boys and Girls Club of Northern Westchester, where she completed two capital campaigns totaling $16 million; the Westchester Land Trust; Northern Westchester Hospital; and the Waterkeeper Alliance. She also served on the Board of the Women’s Forum, an international organization that mentors women worldwide.

In 1988, she received a Peabody Award as the producer of Claude Lanzmann’s iconic Holocaust documentary Shoah. She was interviewed by Barbara Walters in 1991, and in 2005 published Seema Says, Selected Columns from the Westchester Wag, the monthly column she authored for eight years.

Ms. Boesky was born and raised in Detroit, and received a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Michigan State University. In 1978, she relocated her family from New York City to Westchester where she still resides and continues her philanthropic endeavors, develops high-end residential real estate and spends time with family and friends.

The NWH Gala begins with cocktails at 6:30 p.m., a program and dinner at 8 p.m., and dancing at 9:30 p.m. The theme is Art as Inspiration and Art as Transformation. It is expected to draw record attendance of over 800 guests. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.nwhconnect.org/2019Gala.

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook.

About Northwell Health
Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 70,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

 

News courtesy of Northern Westchester Hospital, Northwell Health.

Northern Westchester Hospital Receives The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award ™ 2019

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Mt. Kisco, New York— Northern Westchester Hospital has received The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ 2019, which recognizes hospitals for outstanding performance in delivering a positive experience for patients during their hospital stay. The annual award given by Healthgrades, a leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, recognizes hospitals around the country that make patient safety a top priority and provide an outstanding patient experience.

“We are delighted to be recognized with this important award,” said Maria Hale, PsyD, MBA, Associate Executive Director at NWH. “As a teaching hospital and nationally recognized leader for patient-centered care, NWH is committed to creating innovative programs and services that are fundamentally attentive to the needs of our patients and their families.

Our patients’ health and well-being is our top priority, and we strive to provide our patients and their families with the best possible experience. We have a number of programs in place including the Ken Hamilton Caregivers Center, the Aranow Art Cart, our Food is Care program, Pet Therapy and Integrative Medicine, which support the delivery of patient-centered care, which we believe is essential in ensuring the best outcomes for our patients and their families.”

In 2019, 434 hospitals received The Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™, representing the top 15 percent of hospitals in the nation for patient experience. As part of the analysis, Healthgrades evaluated 3,449 hospitals that submitted at least 100 patient experience surveys to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), covering admissions from January 2017 through December 2017 to identify hospital performance in this area.

“Consumers are becoming more involved in their own health care, and are spending more time researching and selecting the right provider and hospital for their specific needs. Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award™ highlights the hospitals that are making patient experience a priority and will help patients feel confident to make more informed decisions about their health care,” said Brad Bowman, MD, Chief Medical officer, Healthgrades.

Healthgrades evaluated hospital performance by applying a scoring methodology to nine patient experience measures, using data collected from a 32-question patient experience survey of the hospital’s own patients. The survey questions focus on patients’ perspectives of their care in the hospital, ranging from cleanliness and noise levels in patient rooms to factors such as provider communication. The measures also include whether a patient would recommend the hospital to friends or family.

Healthgrades found that 81 percent of patients would recommend Northern Westchester Hospital, 11 percent higher than the national average. It also found that 79 percent of patients gave the hospital a rating of nine or 10, 10 percent higher than the national average.

This is the third year that Northern Westchester Hospital was awarded Healthgrades Outstanding Patient Experience Award ™. It also received Healthgrades Stroke Care Excellence Award in 2019, 2018 and 2017.

For more information about Patient Centered Care and Innovation at NWH, visit https://nwhc.net/about-us/patient-centered-care.

About Northern Westchester Hospital

Northern Westchester Hospital (NWH), a member of Northwell Health, provides quality, patient-centered care that is close to home through a unique combination of medical expertise, leading-edge technology, and a commitment to humanity. Over 650 highly-skilled physicians, state-of-the-art technology and professional staff of caregivers are all in place to ensure that you and your family receive treatment in a caring, respectful and nurturing environment. NWH has established extensive internal quality measurements that surpass the standards defined by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA) National Hospital Quality Measures. Our high-quality standards help to ensure that the treatment you receive at NWH is among the best in the nation. For more information, please visit www.nwhc.net and connect with us on Facebook

 About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 23 hospitals, about 750 outpatient facilities and more than 13,600 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 69,000 employees – 16,000-plus nurses and 4,000 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We’re training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Graduate Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu.