Alina Moran, an Advocate for Health Care
By Gloria Romano-Barrera
Alina Moran’s commitment and passion
for health care began at a young age
while serving as an advocate for her
family. Growing up with Puerto Rican parents
who migrated to El Barrio in New York with limited
English proficiency, it was at home where she saw
how difficult it was to gain access to basic social
services, including health care. Through her
personal journey, she understands deeply the
impact that health care has in the Hispanic
community and on patients.
“As a woman, a mother and a daughter, I am
acutely aware of the importance of health care that
focuses on the needs of our community,” she
states. “I have seen firsthand that access to care
can make a significant improvement in the lives
that we are able to impact.”
Today Moran is the CEO of the hospital
where she was born. As the Chief Executive
Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan, the
community hospital of choice for residents of East
Harlem, northern Manhattan, and neighboring
communities, Moran is responsible for leading the
day-to-day operations of the 338-bed acute care
facility, overseeing a $355 million budget and over
2,500 employees. Metropolitan is a part of the NYC
Health + Hospitals, the largest municipal hospital
and health care system in the country, which
provides essential services to 1.2 million New
Yorkers every year.
Moran earned her post as the CEO while
serving as Chief Financial Officer at NYC Health +
Hospitals/Elmhurst and was participating in an
Advisory Board Fellowship program. This program
provided Moran with leadership skills and courage
to interview for an executive director role in the
organization. After an extensive selection process,
she was selected as the CEO of Metropolitan.
“I am responsible for establishing a system
for assuring that high quality care is provided to all
of our patients,” she shares. “Assuring the sound
fiscal operation of the hospital while promoting
services that are produced in a cost-effective
manner; ensuring compliance with regulatory
agencies and accrediting bodies while continually
monitoring the organization's service and delivery
system; ensuring optimal fulfillment of the
hospital's mission and strategic plan by working
closely with the clinical and hospital leadership;
and maintaining positive relations with community
leaders and organizations.”
Under Moran’s leadership, Metropolitan has
been recognized for meeting the highest national
patient safety standards, and is the only hospital in
NYC to receive the top "A" grade from the Leapfrog
Group for Hospital Safety Scores in both Spring and
Fall 2018 surveys. Metropolitan has created a
nationally recognized patient safety program,
based on developing and maintaining an effective
team-based approach to the reducing hospital
acquired infections and minimizing harm to
patients and staff.
Alina Moran with community representative from the National
Organization of Rare Diseases, at Metropolitan on Rare Disease
Day, February 28, 2018.
Alina Moran (right) reviews her own birth records with staff
from the Metropolitan Labor & Delivery unit, October 18,
2016.
14 www. lat inastyle.com LATINAStyle Vol . 25, No. 3, 2019
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