Memorial Sloan Kettering selects head of supportive care, and more | MED MOVES

Craig D. Blinderman has been appointed chief of the supportive care service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Craig D. Blinderman (Memorial Sloan Kettering)

Blinderman joins Memorial Sloan Kettering from Columbia University Medical Center/NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where he previously served as director of the adult palliative medicine service and associate professor of medicine in the department of medicine.

He succeeds Corita R. Grudzen,who has served as the acting chief of the supportive sare service since January.

Grudzen said in a statement that Blinderman “will be an integral part of our efforts to improve the cancer care journey for patients and their loved ones.”

Blinderman has written extensively on issues related to supportive care in oncology.

“I have dedicated my career to the pursuit of care approaches that help people with cancer live as well as they can for as long as they can,” Blinderman said in a statement. “MSK is a world-class institution with robust clinical and research capacities that I am proud to join. At MSK, I look forward to continuing my life’s work of understanding how we can further enhance cancer patients’ quality of life and best integrate supportive care services earlier to improve patient outcomes.”

Yvens Laborde (Ochsner Health)

Ochsner Health names new chief community medical officer

Yvens Laborde has been named chief community medical officer for Ochsner Health.

Laborde will drive Ochsner’s community strategy to promote health equity and help advance the Healthy State initiative, a collaborative effort with government, non-profit and business organizations to promote health and wellness in Louisiana.

Laborde joined Ochsner Health in 1995 as an internal medicine physician. He has held a variety of roles, most recently serving as the medical director of global and community health.

He also served as physician advisor during Hurricane Ida emergency response efforts, and led humanitarian relief efforts after disasters in Haiti, Dominican Republic and Bahamas.

“At Ochsner, we are committed to providing high-quality, patient-centered care to achieve optimal health and wellbeing for all our patients, and to working collaboratively and respectfully with our external and internal partners to achieve these goals,” Laborde said in a statement.

He says he wants to apply innovative solutions to help create a culture of “inclusivity and health excellence.”

Laborde will continue his position as adjunct professor for The University of Queensland Ochsner Doctor of Medicine Program.

Matt Nobis (University of Michigan Health)

University of Michigan Health names regional VP for finance

Matt Nobis has been named regional vice president of finance for University of Michigan Health.

Nobis has served as director of finance/controller of Sparrow Health System since April 2020. He played a key role in Sparrow’s partnership discussions with U-M Health. University of Michigan Health completed the acquisition of Sparrow in April. The combined system is a $7 billion organization with 17 hospitals and more than 300 healthcare sites.

He previously served as director of finance/controller for Covenant Healthcare in Saginaw and as director of internal audit at MidMichigan Health in Midland.

Nobis will work closely with Eric Strucko, Michigan Medicine’s chief financial officer, and he will report to Bobby Hewlett, Michigan Medicine’s corporate controller.

Abha Agrawal (Lawrence General Hospital)

Lawrence General Hospital announces new CEO

Abha Agrawal has been named the next president and chief executive officer of Lawrence General Hospital in Massachusetts.

She will begin her new role in January.

Agrawal, a practicing internal medicine physician, has been serving as chief medical officer at Humboldt Park Health in Chicago. She is also the founder of A4 Clinics in India, a group of advanced neuro rehabilitation centers.

Robin Hynds, who has been serving as interim CEO, will resume her role as executive vice president and chief operating officer when Agrawal joins the organization. Hynds has been serving in the interim CEO role after the retirement of Deborah J. Wilson, the hospital’s previous CEO, in May.

Lawrence General’s board of trustees spent months searching for the next CEO

Mike Mancuso, chair of the Lawrence General’s board, said he is confident they found the right leader.

“Dr. Abha Agrawal has a proven reputation as a transformative leader and is excited to put her extensive skills and experience to work to empower our Lawrence General team and meet the ever-changing needs of the people we serve,” Mancuso said in a statement. “Above all, Dr. Agrawal has been a champion for advancing health equity and patient care throughout her career.”