MetroPlusHealth And NYC Health + Hospitals', Dr. Eric Wei, Named to City & State's "2022 Power Of Diversity: Asian 100."
NEW YORK, NY
|
May 02, 2022 02:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time
Eric Wei, MD, MBA, Board Member and Chair of the Quality Assurance & Performance Improvement Committee of MetroPlusHealth and Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer of NYC Health + Hospitals has been named to City & State’s “2022 Power of Diversity: Asian 100” list. He will be featured in a special edition of City & State published today, recognizing the most influential Asian Americans in New York. The prestigious Asian 100 list has included leaders such as Congress Member Grace Meng, State Senator John Liu, and former Presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
“I am honored to be recognized by City & State, and I am proud to see the accomplishments of New York’s vibrant Asian-American community being celebrated on such a prominent platform,” said Dr. Wei. “As challenging as the last two years have been, I am grateful to be a part of a public health care system that is committed to the values of diversity and inclusion. I want to thank my amazing team at NYC Health + Hospitals, colleagues at MetroPlusHealth, and family for their unwavering support.”
In addition to Dr. Wei’s achievements, he has been a strong advocate for the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. He will be a featured speaker at a May 18th press conference on the steps of City Hall, addressing the lack of resources and the critical importance of mental health and wellness among AAPI New Yorkers. Dr. Wei was a panelist at the Stop Anti-Asian Hate Crime Town Hall in 2021, hosted by MetroPlusHealth. He presided over the Grand Opening of MetroPlusHealth’s flagship community office in Flushing, Queens, bringing needed resources to the neighborhood’s large Asian population.
“Congratulations to Dr. Wei on being recognized as City & State Diversity: Asian 100 recognition,” said Dr. Talya Schwartz, President and CEO of MetroPlusHealth. “Dr. Wei has been an incredible leader and advocate in the AAPI community, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. His work in creating an equitable future for the health of the AAPI communities is a key component to closing the gaps in health care disparities.”
“Dr. Wei is incredibly deserving of this recognition, and we are happy to celebrate this wonderful achievement with him,” said Dr. Mitchell Katz, President and CEO of NYC Health + Hospitals. “Eric’s heroic leadership during the pandemic has solidified him as one of the most influential people in this great city we are so proud to serve.”
The special recognition comes at the start of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness month. In early May, MetroPlusHealth will release the findings of a research project surveying Asian females in New York City about their mental health concerns. Additionally, MetroPlusHealth will partner with community-based organizations providing mental health services to the AAPI community. Dr. Wei will participate in video interviews with these organizations to raise awareness of seeking help to improve mental health and wellness.
Dr. Wei’s focus during the pandemic included strategic planning to quadruple ICU capacity, reconfiguring emergency departments to accommodate the needs and patient volume demands and leading the patient level-loading system that moved over 850 COVID-19 patients in the first NYC wave to ensure each hospital was operating safely considering high patient volumes.
He also oversaw more than $35 million in donations to the public health system to help with employee accommodations, such as meals, transportation, and childcare. The expansion of the Helping Healers Heal program supports employees’ emotional and psychological well-being.
Dr. Wei is the fellowship director for the NYC Health + Hospitals Clinical Leadership Fellowship and launched Healthcare Administration Scholars Program (HASP) across 5 NYC Health + Hospitals sites. He is a practicing Emergency Medicine physician rotating through all 11 Emergency Departments in NYC Health + Hospitals. He serves as faculty for the Greater New York Hospital Association/UHF Clinical Quality Fellowship Program.
Dr. Wei received his bachelor’s degree in Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology at the University of California, Los Angeles, in 2003. He completed the combined MD and MBA program at the University of California, Irvine, in 2009. Dr. Wei completed his Emergency Medicine residency and the Healthcare Administration Scholars Program at the University of Michigan in 2013. He is certified in Lean Healthcare, Six Sigma Black Belt, and TeamSTEPPS Master Trainer. He is a fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians. Dr. Wei was named to Modern Healthcare’s “50 Most Influential Clinical Leaders” list and Forbes 40 Under 40, both in 2021.
As with many New Yorkers, the pandemic has raised the mental health challenges faced by the AAPI community during these difficult times. New York City offers free, private mental health support in Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and more than 200 languages. Support can be accessed 24/7, 365 days a year. To speak to a counselor and get access to services, call 888-NYC-WELL (888-692-9355) or text “WELL” to 65173.
City & State Diversity: Asian 100 list: https://www.cityandstateny.com
About MetroPlusHealth
Since 1985, MetroPlusHealth Plan has built a reputation for providing access to affordable, quality health care to residents across New York City. MetroPlusHealth is the plan of choice for over 600,000 New Yorkers and has a five-star rating based on the State’s 2020 Consumer’s Guide to Medicaid and Child Health Plus Managed Care Plans in New York City. The health plan’s robust network of primary care doctors and specialists includes many independent community providers. Culturally sensitive and fluent in more than 40 languages, MetroPlusHealth’s staff is as diverse as the great city it serves. For more information about MetroPlusHealth plans, benefits, and services, visit www.metroplus.org and join the conversation at facebook.com/metroplushealth and Twitter @metroplushealth. MetroPlusHealth is a wholly-owned subsidiary of NYC Health + Hospitals, the nation’s largest public health system.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest public health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 42,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/NYCHealthSystem or Twitter at @NYCHealthSystem.
Contact Details
Divendra Jaffar, MetroPlusHealth
212-908-3380/646-952-3243
Company Website
