Meet the new chief of medicine of the North Bronx Healthcare Network.
Native Bronxite Dr. John Morley was recently appointed by the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation to serve in that role for Jacobi Medical Center and North Central Bronx Hospital.
Morley will oversee the medical staff at the two public hospitals, which combined treat more than 150,000 patients annually.
Morley has decades of experience in both clinical and management roles.
He is a trained anesthesiologist who also has critical care certifications in internal medicine and pulmonary medicine.
He previously served as medical director of Albany Medical Center, the medical director of NY State’s Department of Health systems Management Division, and as senior vice president and deputy chief Medical Officer of NYC HHC.
His range of experiences both in hospitals and state government have given him a broad understanding of the healthcare system that helps him to do his job, said Morley.
Part of that job requires implementing ever-changing regulations in ways that improve, or at least don’t impede, patient care.
“I really spend time each day on the ‘how,’” he said.
It’s an exciting time in the healthcare industry, said Morley, with major changes coming in the way physicians are incentivize, and the arrival of improved data and information systems which will improve patients care.
Ultimately, great patient care is the goal of any hospital, and the chief medical officer can create an environment where healthcare providers are supported in their jobs.
“I believe in the collaborative approach,” Morley said of his philosophy.
Morley describes a medical staff as being like a football team. During a game, the tight end doesn’t just run and expect the quarterback to find him —he runs a particular pattern, Morley said.
Within the hospitals, that means healthcare providers don’t just need to understand their individual job, but what other’s jobs are and where they fit in the healthcare process.
In his role, Morley also works to facilitate communication between the hospital administration and the medical staff.
“Doctors don’t always speak the same language as administrators,” he said.
Enhancing that communication is critical to Morley’s mission of continuing to improve patient care and the network’s reputation.
“The best hospitals have a strong partnership between the medical staff and the hospital administration – that’s how great patient care is delivered,” said Morley.
