Oneida, NY – After over 15 years as the President and CEO of Oneida Health, Gene Morreale is set to retire effective April 1. The announcement, which came in the fall of 2021, marks the end of a term in which Morreale captained unprecedented growth while positioning the organization to achieve national recognition for patient safety and experience in the greater Oneida region.
Since his appointment in 2007, Morreale has been a champion for bringing the latest technology to Oneida. From the implementation of da Vinci Robotic Surgery to advanced imaging including PET/CT, 3 Tesla MRI, and 3D Mammography, to a Linear Accelerator for radiation oncology, today, Oneida Health provides technology that is often only thought to exist within larger city healthcare systems.
Along with his leadership team, Morreale has also overseen the modernization of the hospital with significant renovations to the OR, ICU, PACU, Main Entrance, Medical-Surgical Unit, ED, Radiology Department, and the development of a Wound Care Center. Campus additions include the construction of both the Medical and Radiation Oncology buildings, the Gorman Imaging Center, and most recently a new Women’s Health Building which is due to open this summer.
Morreale’s leadership has also drastically expanded Oneida Health’s primary and specialty care network in Madison and western Oneida County with the addition of new patient services including Breast Care, Cardiology, Oncology, Podiatry, Quick Care, Vascular, Neurology, Pulmonology, and a Sleep Center. This is in addition to the integration of privately owned practices into Oneida Health’s network including Orthopedics, GI, ENT, Tri-Valley, and Women’s Health. Morreale is also responsible for spearheading the partnership with Buffalo-based cancer center, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, to bring first-class medical and radiation oncology care to Oneida.
Another highlight of Morreale’s term as President and CEO is the national recognition of Oneida Health’s patient safety and patient experience results. Over the past decade, Oneida Health has received some of the highest ratings in patient safety and patient experience in Upstate New York from national rating agencies including LeapFrog, CMS, Healthgrades, and Women’s Choice, among others. Most recently, the hospital was rated 5-stars for safety by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, representing only one of seven hospitals in the state to receive the coveted 5-star rating.
“I couldn’t be prouder of all we have accomplished during my tenure as President and CEO,” said Morreale. “All of the success we have experienced would not have been possible without the teamwork and support of the Board of Trustees, Senior Leaders, Medical Providers, and staff. I sincerely thank all of those who have helped make Oneida Health the exceptional organization that it is today. I leave knowing that the future of healthcare in Oneida is very bright.”
The Oneida Health Board of Trustees began the search for a new CEO last fall, engaging the healthcare executive expert WittKieffer, who has placed 55 CEOs into hospitals in the US in 2020 alone. They expect to name the next President and CEO of Oneida Health in early April with a start date in the late summer/early fall of 2022.
“I want to give my sincere thanks to Gene for his service to the hospital and the greater Oneida community, said Mike Kallet, Chairman of the Oneida Health Board of Trustees. “His impact on the health and well-being of our community and the organization will be felt for years to come.”
Charles Gijanto will serve as interim President and CEO of Oneida Health during the transition. Gijanto has over 32 years of healthcare leadership experience and has served as an interim CEO at several hospitals since retiring in 2015.
About Oneida Health
Oneida Health serves an area comprised of approximately 29 communities in Madison and western Oneida counties with a population of approximately 100,000. Operated by Oneida Health Systems, Inc, a New York State not-for-profit corporation, the organization includes a 101-bed acute care hospital, emergency department, state of the art surgery center, 160-bed extended-care and short-term rehab facility, primary care offices, internal medicine, comprehensive lab services, home medical equipment, comprehensive imaging services, outpatient therapy, and care specialties in oncology, cardiology, neurology, podiatry, vascular, sleep, OB/GYN, orthopedics, wound care, GI, pulmonary, and ENT. To learn more about Oneida Health, visit www.oneidahealth.org.