Denise Peterson, the new president and CEO of Hebrew Senior Care in West Hartford, brings a focus to the role sharpened by more than 35 years of what she says is demonstrated success working in complex hospital systems and multiple specialty services within the healthcare industry.Peterson most recently was a senior vice president and chief […]
Denise Peterson, the new president and CEO of Hebrew Senior Care in West Hartford, brings a focus to the role sharpened by more than 35 years of what she says is demonstrated success working in complex hospital systems and multiple specialty services within the healthcare industry.
Peterson most recently was a senior vice president and chief nursing officer at Trinity Health of New England, but also has held management roles at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hospital of Central Connecticut, and Danbury and Waterbury hospitals.
Peterson said she considers herself a transformational leader who believes in lean principles, process improvement and creating organizational cultures of accountability and engagement.
In her new role she will lead six service lines, including the Hospital at Hebrew Senior Care, which is a member of the Connecticut Senior Hospital Alliance with Wallingford's Masonicare Health Care.
What attracted you to Hebrew Senior Care, which emerged from bankruptcy last summer?
My commitment to this organization was sealed when I learned about Connecticut Senior Hospital Alliance. The vision that Hebrew Senior Care and Masonicare will create the first specialty care hospital for seniors in Connecticut is extremely exciting.
Connecticut Senior Hospital Alliance meets the new demands of today's healthcare environment, which requires care to be delivered in an efficient, cost-effective manner with high-quality outcomes. I am very excited about our future and the impact Hebrew Senior Care will have in developing programs for the next generation of seniors.
What's the biggest challenge in your new role?
Health care is an ever-changing industry; yet, at the same time, change can occur slowly. We plan to design a campaign to educate all constituent groups about our organization's value to the senior healthcare landscape. We look to create a community advisory board so others can engage and participate in the future vision of Hebrew Senior Care and the Connecticut Senior Hospital Alliance.
What's Hebrew's biggest opportunity?
The Connecticut Senior Hospital Alliance. We have the opportunity to be the first specialty-care hospitals dedicated to senior care in all of Connecticut and New England. Since we offer a direct admission, patients do not wait for hours in an emergency. Instead, inpatient care begins immediately. Our patient satisfaction surveys demonstrate that this model increases patient satisfaction. I anticipate this model of care will be replicated nationally.
