Nathan T. Connell, MD, MPH

Connell Named Clinical Chief of Hematology at BWFH

Nathan T. Connell, MD, MPH, was appointed clinical chief of Hematology at BWFH, effective Sept. 1.

Connell is responsible for providing clinical leadership for Hematology and facilitating the Brigham Hematology Division’s activities at BWFH including oversight of the quality of patient care. He and other members of the BWH Hematology Division will provide Hematology consultation for outpatients at Brigham Medical Specialties at BWFH. Connell will coordinate weekend coverage for the inpatient Hematology consult service and will work with BWFH leadership committees on Hematology-related matters. As was initiated over the summer, the BWH Hematology Division will continue to provide inpatient consultation services at BWFH and play an important role in medical resident and medical student education.

“I’m thrilled that Dr. Connell has taken on this role. He has exceptional training and brings new energy to the department,” said BWFH Chief of Medicine Scott Schissel, MD, PhD. “I look forward to seeing the positive impact he and his colleagues from the BWH Hematology Division will have on Hematology clinical care at BWFH.”

After attending medical school at the University of Miami, Connell completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Brown University, in affiliation with Rhode Island Hospital, where he also served as chief resident from 2010 to 2011. Connell then completed a clinical and research fellowship in hematology and oncology, also at Brown University and Rhode Island Hospital, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society.

Connell earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from Cornell University, master’s degree from Barry University and his master’s in public health degree, with a focus on clinical effectiveness, from Harvard School of Public Health.

Joseph Kulle, MS

Kulle Named Executive Director of Partners eCare at BWHC

Joseph Kulle, MS, recently assumed the position as the executive director and site contact for the Partners eCare Rollout. He began the role on June 2 succeeding Margo Daphnis, who is now working as a part-time member of the eCare leadership team. 

As executive director, Kulle is responsible for overseeing the implementation of PartnerseCare at BWHC, which represents the single largest initiative Partners HealthCare has undertaken. He will aid in integrating several clinical, administrative and financial systems into one single structure. Partners eCare will go live in two waves at BWHC. Wave one, which includes BWH, BWFH, and approximately 35 percent of the ambulatory sites, will go live at the end of May 2015. Wave two, which represents the remaining ambulatory sites, will go live at the end of July 2015.

Kulle gained the necessary skills for his position by having previously worked at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates/Atrius Health for the past nine years.  At his departure from Atrius Health he held four titles: IT chief of staff, director of the Project Management office, director of Client Services, and site administrator of Harvard Vanguard’s Needham location.

Kulle earned his bachelor’s in management information systems and his master’s in technology management at Bridgewater State University.

Swapnil Maniar, PhD, MPH

Maniar to Leave BWH, Hopeful to Launch Startup

After serving as director of Health Equity Programs at the Center for Community Health and Health Equity (CCHHE) for six years, Swapnil Maniar, PhD, MPH, will leave his role on Sept. 5 to explore new opportunities and hopefully launch a startup.

During his time at BWH, Maniar’s notable achievements have included leading the development of Stronger Generations, formerly the Birth Equity Initiative, which provides parents and families with important components of good health, including prenatal care, family planning, case management services, advocacy, and stress-reduction programs. He also co-led Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center’s Open Doors to Health-Colorectal Cancer Screening Program, as well as the development of a health equity dashboard, informing the hospital’s efforts to address health disparities.

“Working at BWH and in the CCHHE has been an amazing experience,” said Maniar. “I’ve worked with an incredibly dedicated group of individuals. I am continually inspired by them.”

Before joining BWH, Maniar worked at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, where he established a statewide youth violence prevention program.

“I’m drawn to big challenges, and there are few challenges bigger than health disparities,” said Maniar. “I feel like it’s a good point for me to take off on the next big challenge.”

Transition plans are currently being developed for his successor.

Pathak Pursues New Role in Big Data

Sanjay Pathak, MBA, MPH

Sanjay Pathak, MBA, MPH, senior vice president of BWH Surgical Services and Imaging, stepped down from his position on Sept. 1 to join an innovative, venture-backed “big data” health care company called Kyruus. This company is focused on transforming how patients connect with the right physicians in large integrated health care systems. In his new role, Pathak will oversee client services and customer success nationally.

Since joining BWH in 2007, Pathak has made significant contributions to the mission and vision of BWHC in advancing the surgical services platform and imaging enterprise across the distributed campus. He and his team have played an instrumental role in leading the planning and execution for the opening of the Shapiro Cardiovascular Center’s 16 ORs, the opening of the Foxboro Day Surgery Unit, and the successful launch of the first-in-the-nation intra-operative hybrid OR.

During his tenure as senior vice president, Pathak paved the way in transforming the operations of the ORs through the establishment of the BWH Perioperative Governance Committee and in developing and executing a strategic plan to grow surgical services across BWH, BWFH and Foxborough. He was instrumental in the development of the world’s first multi-modality image guided operating room—the AMIGO suite, and in the transition to more interdisciplinary clinical models, such as the BWH Transplant Center and the Heart and Vascular Center. He has been serving as co-chair of the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center Operations Cabinet to help guide the strategic agenda for the DF/BWCC.

David McCready, MBA, MHA, vice chair for BWH Administration and Finance in the Department of Medicine and senior vice president of Clinical Services, will succeed Pathak, assuming responsibility for Surgery, Radiology, Dermatology, Orthopedics and Neurosurgery. McCready will provide interim support to his current hospital operations area and to the Department of Medicine during the search for a new senior vice president.

Charles Vacanti, MD

Vacanti Moves on From Department of Anesthesiology

Charles Vacanti, MD, has stepped down as chair of the BWH Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, effective Sept. 1.  Since accepting the position at BWH in 2002, Vacanti has spearheaded efforts to mature, expand and reorganize the department to meet the demands of a changing environment. The department provides anesthesia services to patients on four campuses, including 850 Boylston, the BWFH and Patriot Place. With Vacanti’s leadership, the department has also provided non-operative anesthesia services to almost 10 times as many patients compared to 2001. Since 2002, the number of full professors in the department has more than doubled, as have the number of departmental endowments, with external funding of research almost tripling.

The residency program continues to be among the most competitive in the country.  And the pain management program is a nationally recognized Center of Excellence.  Several of the department’s divisions, including Cardiac Anesthesia and Obstetrical Anesthesia, are some of the most respected in the country. Moreover, under his leadership, the department tripled the number of CRNAs on staff, enhancing its ability to efficiently provide safe, compassionate care to patients.

Vacanti plans to take a one-year sabbatical and plans to return in 2015 where he hopes to focus a significant portion of his academic efforts in regenerative medicine and mentoring the next generation of anesthesiologists.

Bhavani Kodali, MD, associate clinical director for BWH Anesthesia and Pain Management, will serve as chair in the interim while a search for a replacement is being conducted.

Meredith Wallace

Wallace New OB/GYN Department Administrator

Meredith Wallace has joined BWH’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as its department administrator.

In this role, Wallace is responsible for managing the clinical, research and education programs of the department, as well as administrative oversight of the professional and ambulatory activities of the department.

Previously, Wallace worked as a senior consultant in analysis and planning for BWH’s Center for Clinical Excellence.

Prior to joining BWH, Wallace worked at Children’s Hospital Boston, the World Health Organization and Clarion Healthcare, serving in a variety of roles. She received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Williams College and her master’s in public health degree in health care management from Boston University School of Public Health.