As CEO of NYU Langone Health and dean of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, Dr. Robert Grossman (nyulangone.org) leads one of the top academic medical centers in the nation, with locations across the metro area, including the Hamptons. A prolific scientist and neuroradiologist, Grossman has also earned numerous accolades for his research. Here, he shares unique insights on the future of healthcare and tremendous growth opportunities on the East End.
UNDER YOUR LEADERSHIP, NYU LANGONE HAS BECOME ONE OF THE WORLD’S LEADING HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS, ELEVATING THE QUALITY OF CARE AND EXPANDING INTO IMPORTANT REGIONS, INCLUDING LONG ISLAND. HOW DID YOU ACHIEVE THIS?
When I started as dean and CEO in 2007, I laid out a set of goals that were foundational to our success. First, we had to break down silos, fully integrating the hospitals and medical school into one world-class academic medical center. A state-of-the-art enterprise electronic health record was also critical, allowing us to share and evaluate outcomes across every location. We always understood that growth could not undercut quality—if you see our logo, you can expect the same experience on the Upper West Side or the East End. The NYU Langone name brings the highest-quality care, safety and expertise, and a top-notch patient experience wherever we are.
YEARS BEFORE IT BECAME A REALITY, I KNOW YOU TOLD KEN LANGONE YOUR DREAM WAS TO SOMEDAY MAKE NYU GROSSMAN SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND NYU GROSSMAN LONG ISLAND SCHOOL OF MEDICINE TUITION-FREE—AND NOW YOU’VE DONE IT. WHY IS THIS SO IMPORTANT?
Ken and I relied on scholarships to get our start and know the difference they can make in someone’s life. The average medical school debt is about $200,000, which is incredibly difficult to pay off during an internship or residency. Some of the most important areas of medicine, like primary care and geriatrics, are the least lucrative. It took about 12 years to achieve, but we saw tuition-free medical school as a moral imperative. Today, more and more of our students in Manhattan and on Long Island follow their passions and specialize in fields where they can do the most good—without the debt burden. We’re also proud that all our students can earn their medical degree in three years rather than the standard four years most other schools require.
CAN YOU IDENTIFY ONE SIGNIFICANT INNOVATION AT NYU LANGONE THAT HAS HAD THE GREATEST IMPACT ON PATIENT CARE?
Our data-driven approach to healthcare. Our patients know they will receive the same high standard of care across our entire system. We achieved this very intentionally by implementing systems to track over 800 performance metrics—like patient census and lengths of stay—on dashboards accessible across the system, bringing accountability and transparency to everyone. These metrics offer one clear source of truth. At many hospitals today—and years ago here—the care might differ across doctors and locations. That isn’t the case here. We operate with one playbook and one standard of care, allowing us to achieve the lowest mortality rate in the U.S.
NYU LANGONE HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY IN THE CITY AND THE REGION. WHAT PLANS DO YOU HAVE TO EXPAND YOUR FOOTPRINT IN THE HAMPTONS?
We’re very proud of our practice on Montauk Highway in Bridgehampton, and, to meet patient demand, we’re adding a second Hamptons location next year, on Sunset Avenue in Westhampton. Patients can also access our highly skilled care teams nearby in Riverhead and through Virtual Urgent Care, a service especially helpful in the Hamptons, where there is a lack of urgent care centers connected to a high-quality health system. We’re also exploring East Hampton for an additional location
“THE NYU LANGONE NAME BRINGS THE HIGHEST-QUALITY CARE, SAFETY AND EXPERTISE, AND A TOPNOTCH PATIENT EXPERIENCE WHEREVER WE ARE.” –DR. ROBERT GROSSMAN
Photography by: PHOTO BY ZEV STARR-TAMBOR
