Editors’ Note

Lynn Richmond was appointed to her current post in 2014. She joined Montefiore in 1999 as Assistant Director, Quality and Regulatory Affairs and served in a series of positions with increasing responsibility, including Director of Clinical Affairs, Clinical Bioethicist, Vice President, Organizational Effectiveness, and Senior Vice President. She is a Nurse Practitioner specializing in Adult Primary Care, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan, a Bachelor’s of Science from Columbia University, and a Master of Science from Hunter College.

Institution Brief

As the academic health system and University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Montefiore (montefiore.org) is nationally recognized for clinical excellence – breaking new ground in research, training the next generation of healthcare leaders, and delivering science-driven, patient-centered care. Montefiore is ranked among the top hospitals nationally and regionally by U.S. News & World Report. For more than 100 years, they have been innovating new treatments, new procedures, and new approaches to patient care, producing stellar outcomes, and raising the bar for health systems in the region and around the world.

How would you describe your career track at Montefiore?

Over the years, Montefiore has been insightful about matching my skills with new and developing roles. Early on they relied on my experience in regulatory affairs for the position in clinical ethics and supported my training as a clinical ethics mediator. They knew I was dedicated to public health and had a certain grit from my years working at the correctional facility on Riker’s Island.

Now, as Montefiore expands to become a regional health system, my role has morphed to oversee our growth and our goal to provide affordable healthcare in as many communities as we can.

The willingness of Montefiore to provide new opportunities and not pigeon-hole people is one of the great things about being here.

Montefiore is an institution with deep roots in the Bronx. Will you describe your relationship to the community?

Our community roots go deep. The socioeconomic problems in the Bronx are real and persistent, but Montefiore remains committed. We invest in new programs and partner with social and community-based organizations to improve health outcomes in innovative ways.

For example, we work with bodegas to carry healthier foods and drinks and improve access to fresh produce. We’re educating our communities about exercise. We’re using data to target our community health efforts where we see the biggest challenges so we can make a real impact on chronic diseases and early detection of cancer.

How do you maintain that entrepreneurial culture?

Montefiore culture is steeped in both social justice and innovation. Our entrepreneurialism has its roots in creating the care and services needed by a vulnerable community.

Over the past 20 years, we have evolved the value based care model where we get paid for positive health outcomes, so we have to be more creative than we could be if we were being paid in a fee-for-service model. There is a lot of trial and error in our programs, and that is how all great advances are made.

At Montefiore, how does the workforce mirror the diversity of your customer base?

The leadership has such commitment to diversity. We are building the workforce of tomorrow that draws on the potential of our residents. In fact, the bulk of our talent is now coming from the communities we serve.

We’re also doing a lot of work with local schools and community organizations to train people. A strong representation by women in leadership roles is further commitment to this diversity.•