Nuvance Health appoints chief medical officer

Nuvance Health has put a doctor with more than 30 years of experinece in charge of providing quality care.

Dr. Jeffrey M. Nicastro was named chief medical officer & network chair of surgery for Nuvance Health, a seven-hospital system that includes Sharon, Danbury, Norwalk and New Milford hospitals.

“We are so very fortunate to have Dr. Nicastro in this critically important and key leadership position,” Dr. John Murphy, president and CEO of Nuvance Health, said in a statement. “Jeff brings with him years of outstanding experience and deep expertise. He is resolute in his commitment to providing exceptional care across the many communities we serve.

Nicastro has been serving as the interim chief medical officer for the past six months, while continuing to serve as the network chair of surgery.

He has been with Nuvance since January 2019, when he became the first network chair of surgery. He has more than 30 years of clinical, leadership and military experience.

His role includes working with other hospital leaders to expand clinical services, enhance the patient experience, and develop standards for quality and safety, among other duties, Nuvance said.

Nicastro will work closely with the more than 3,000-member medical staff and will manage the network chairs, as well as heart, cancer and neuroscience clinical leaders.

He will also oversee the development of a new teaching academy for physicians to be named in honor of his predecessor, the late Dr. Patricia Tietjen.

“This is both a challenging and exciting time for us as a system and providers of healthcare,” Murphy said. “Such times demand great organizational leadership and personal resiliency, which is reflected in Dr. Nicastro’s nature and work.”

Nicastro