Sonja LaBarbera is president and CEO of Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, a rehabilitation-focused healthcare system providing inpatient and outpatient care. She has focused on expanding clinical services, workforce development, education and research initiatives during her tenure.
Under her leadership, Gaylord has expanded residency training programs, strengthened research and innovation efforts and grown outpatient rehabilitation services deeper into the community. She is also a national advocate for long-term acute care hospitals, focusing on policy, reimbursement and patient access issues.
Over the past year, Gaylord expanded its outpatient footprint and volume by nearly 30%, including growth into Fairfield County, and opened additional hospital beds to support acute care partners, LaBarbera said.
The organization also launched an interventional pain center and regenerative medicine programs offering non-opioid and non-surgical pain management options. LaBarbera also oversaw the creation of a formalized Center for Education focused on workforce development and clinical training programs.
If you could change one thing in the healthcare industry, what would it be?
I would advance payment reform that rewards prevention, wellness and long-term health outcomes.
A system designed to keep people well, rather than just treat illness, will deliver better results for patients, providers and communities alike.