Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg and Charlynn Goins, Chairperson of the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC) today announced the appointment of Alan D. Aviles as Acting President of the Corporation.  Alan D. Aviles has served in various capacities at HHC since 1997, most recently as Senior Vice President of HHC's Queens Health Network and Executive Director of Elmhurst Hospital Center.

“I am pleased that the HHC Board of Directors has approved the nomination of Alan Aviles to serve as the Acting President of HHC,” said Mayor Bloomberg.  “Alan brings to the position a wealth of experience in health care, government, public advocacy and the non-profit community.  He is a superb health care administrator and attorney whose career has demonstrated a commitment to excellence in New York City’s public hospital system.”

“HHC is fortunate to a have public health administrator of the caliber of Alan Aviles to lead the Corporation at this time,” said HHC Chairperson Charlynn Goins.  “He has repeatedly demonstrated his ability to initiate reforms and produce results that lead to better care for our patients and greater financial stability for our organization.”

“I care deeply about HHC and its mission and I am honored by today's vote of confidence,” said Alan D. Aviles.  “With the departure of Dr. Chu, we are losing an exceptional leader, but he leaves behind a strategic vision to improve the health of our communities which I am committed to fully implement.”

Before serving as Executive Director of Elmhurst Hospital Center, Aviles served as HHC's General Counsel, where his strengthening of HHC's risk management activities lowered HHC's malpractice costs by more than $15 million and reduced malpractice claims by 10%.  From 1997 to 2001 he served at Elmhurst Hospital Center, first as Associate Executive Director of Managed Care, then as Senior Executive Director for Business and Clinical Affairs, and finally as Deputy Executive Director.  During this time he oversaw numerous initiatives, including the expansion of the community-based ambulatory care network at both Elmhurst and Queens Hospital Centers and the development of the electronic patient record at both facilities.
 
Prior to joining HHC, Aviles served for two years as Senior Vice President of the Ryan Community Health Network, where he was responsible for overseeing major network development initiatives and special projects.  His legal career has included appointments as General Counsel of the NYC Housing Authority, Deputy Chief of the Public Advocacy Division of the New York State Attorney General's office and Deputy Bureau Chief of the Charities Bureau, which monitors the financial affairs of more than 20,000 registered not-for-profit corporations.  He has handled a wide range of affirmative civil rights cases in state and federal courts, including the first lawsuit in the nation to successfully challenge discrimination against individuals with HIV/AIDS, and litigation which resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding affirmative action to protect black and Hispanic workers from persistent discrimination.  Aviles is the product of New York's public school system and graduated from Bronx High School of Science.  He is a graduate of Columbia College and the Rutgers School of Law.

HHC operates 11 acute care public hospitals, 6 diagnostic and treatment centers, 4 long term nursing care facilities and over 100 community healthcare clinics throughout New York City.  One out of every six New Yorkers uses the public hospital system, which serves as the City's first line of care for major trauma.  In the past three years, HHC hospitals have received the highest survey evaluations of any hospitals in New York City from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, a national accreditation body. HHC ranks nationally in the top 10% of healthcare institutions in the implementation of medical technology that improves the quality of medical care. Its system-wide state-of-the-art electronic medical records and computerized physician order entry systems have earned HHC facilities top ratings from the Leapfrog Group, a national organization that sets standards for improving patient safety and reducing medical errors. The Corporation's hospital modernization campaign is replacing outdated facilities with sleek new modern hospital buildings throughout the city, and renovating the remaining facilities to provide top quality medical specialty services.