Catholic Health names new president and CEO

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Catholic Health has named its new president and CEO.  Dr. Patrick O’Shaughnessy will step into the role April 16. He is replacing Dr. Alan Guerci, who is retiring.

O’Shaughnessy is currently the organization’s executive vice president and chief medical officer, a role he’s served in for more than seven years.  He’d previously served four years as executive vice president and chief clinical officer.

According to Catholic Health, its board of directors and Bishop Barres of the Diocese of Rockville Centre unanimously identified O’Shaughnessy as the top candidate to lead the organization.

“In addition to embracing our Catholic Health culture, commitment to Catholic moral teaching and mission, and our innovative strategic plans, Dr. O’Shaughnessy  will help lead and guide us in providing compassionate, high quality care, while serving the spiritual, physical and emotional needs of patients,” Salvatore Sodano, chairman of Catholic Health’s board of directors, said in a statement.

“Dr. O’Shaughnessy is an accomplished physician executive with more than 18 years of administrative leadership experience in strategy, innovation, operations, and design in health care organizations,” Sodano said. “He is well known, trusted and respected by the Long Island medical community, and has established a favorable reputation with clinical leaders nationally and in the tri-state area.”

Following an extensive national search, a number of outstanding candidates were considered. After careful review, the Board and unanimously identified Dr. O’Shaughnessy as the best choice to lead our organization.

O’Shaughnessy said he is “humbled, honored and excited” to take the helm.

“I am inspired every day by the exceptional team of caregivers at Catholic Health, who truly live our mission, and I am committed to build upon Dr. Guerci’s legacy and position the organization for future growth and success in the years ahead,” he said in a statement.

Beginning in 2006, O’Shaughnessy served as assistant director of emergency medicine for Catholic Health’s St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson. Later, he became director of emergency medicine for St. Catherine of Siena, eventually being promoted to chief medical officer for the Smithtown hospital. He took on system-wide responsibilities, and ultimately being promoted to Catholic Health’s executive vice president and chief clinical officer.

Prior to joining Catholic Health, O’Shaughnessy held physician and faculty appointments at Beth Israel Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Hackensack University Medical Center, and The Valley Hospital in New Jersey. He earned his medical degree from New York College of Osteopathic Medicine and has two master’s degrees, one in business administration from Adelphi University, and a second in population health management from Thomas Jefferson University. Dr. O’Shaughnessy is board certified in emergency medicine and health care quality and management.

Guerci, a cardiologist who has been Catholic Health’s CEO since 2013, previously announced his intention to retire on June 30, 2020, but agreed to stay on until the voard could complete a nationwide search for his successor.

“Dr. Guerci has provided steady leadership throughout his tenure and the COVID-19 pandemic, which has presented historic challenges to all health care organizations,” Sodano said. “We will always be grateful for his outstanding leadership and commitment to our organization. On behalf of the board of directors, I would like to thank Dr. Guerci for all that he has done for Catholic Health.”