Highland Hospital Announces Physician Leadership Transitions

Four distinguished physicians are stepping down from their leadership positions: Catherine Humphrey, M.D., M.B.A., as Chief of Orthopaedics, effective May 1; Steven Finkelstein, M.D., as Chief of Anesthesiology, effective June 30; Anil Sharma, M.D., as Chief of Gastroenterology and the Medical Director of the Highland Hospital Endoscopy Unit effective July 1. In addition, Timothy E. Lum, M.D., MPP, FACEP, Chief of Emergency Medicine will step down on December 31, 2023. All will remain active in UR Medicine. Highland Hospital thanks these remarkable physicians and leaders for their extraordinary service to Highland and to our community.

 

Dr. Humphrey, M.D., M.B.A., Associate Professor of Orthopaedics, who served as chief for 10 years, will continue to serve the university as Associate Chief Medical Officer - Value Analysis and will assume her new role as Division Chief for Orthopaedic Trauma at URMC on July 1. During her tenure, she led the expansion of the scope and volume of Orthopaedic cases at Highland – doubling the overall volume of cases and expanding the scope to include shoulder arthroplasty, foot and ankle surgery, spine, and hip arthroscopy.  She engineered the development of a formal Orthopaedic OR team, expanded the opportunities for PAs, NPs and RNFA staff to include the OR, as well as floor and consult support. She also led the team to JCAHO Certification in Geriatric Fracture Care and to Advanced Certification in Total Joint Arthroplasty. Dr. Humphrey is succeeded by Benjamin F. Ricciardi, M.D., FAAOS, Associate Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery (see related story).

 

Dr. Finkelstein, M.D., Associate Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine served as the department’s leader for nearly six and a half years. He will continue his clinical practice at Highland. During his tenure, in the midst of a national anesthesiologist shortage and the COVID pandemic, Dr. Finkelstein’s team was able to recruit 20 anesthesiologists--now making up almost 2/3 of the current department. This allowed the expansion of anesthesia and perioperative care services for 17 operating rooms, two non-OR procedure sites, and the busiest labor and delivery unit in town. Dr. Finkelstein will be succeeded by Matthew Bresler, M.D., M.B.A., Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology, Department of Anesthesiology, University of Rochester Medical Center and Highland Hospital, who has served as Director of Obstetric Anesthesiology at Highland since 2019. (see related story).

 

Dr. Sharma, Clinical Professor of Medicine, served as leader in his department for 18 years. His career at Highland began with his residency in 1986. Since that time, he has served as President of the Highland Hospital Medical Staff from 2001-2003; Chairman of the Highland Board of Directors, from 2006-2008; and on many integral committees. He has also been deeply involved in medical school and residency teaching. He will continue his clinical practice. Lawrence Saubermann, M.D., gastroenterologist, and Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine will assume the role of Medical Director of Endoscopy (see related story).

 

Dr. Lum, Associate Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, and President of the Highland Hospital Medical Staff, serves as Highland Hospital’s Chief of Emergency Medicine for more than 13 years. He will continue to serve Highland’s Emergency Department as an attending physician. During his tenure, Highland’s ED has experienced substantial volume growth from 32,000 patients when he became chief in 2010 to current volume of close to 46,000 – an extraordinary almost 50% growth rate that is largely attributed to targeted efforts he led with Primary Care Physicians to make the ED more accessible and open. He also led efforts for the department to achieve Geriatric Emergency Department Accreditation in 2018, becoming the first ED in Upstate New York and the second in the entire state to receive this designation. A search is being conducted for his successor.

 

7/1/2023