Loretto CEO joins "Rebuild Upstate: Outlook for Healthcare"

Loretto’s CEO Dr. Kim Townsend will join a group of Upstate NY Healthcare leaders in an online conversation titled Rebuild Upstate: Outlook for Healthcare. Loretto is a comprehensive continuing healthcare organization which provides a variety of services for older adults throughout Central New York. It is the largest provider of elder care services in Upstate New York, the fourth largest healthcare provider and the sixth largest employer in the region.

Panelists for the July 9 conversation include:

• Kim Townsend - CEO of Loretto 

• Mark Taubman, MD - CEO of University of Rochester Medical Center

• Rebecca Gould - President of Schuyler Hospital

• William Streck, MD - CEO of the Bassett Healthcare System

The CEOs will describe their experiences navigating the COVID-19 pandemic and share their views on how Upstate’s residents can stay safe in case of a second wave of infections this fall. Registration is free at https://uvc.org/Rebuild-Upstate

“One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned – which has been a significant driver for Loretto’s success during the pandemic – is not to assume there is a magical rescue coming to salvage our situation. Instead, we need to assume that WE are going to be the problem solvers. We can also take the hard lessons from this experience and use them to shape a better world,” said Dr. Townsend. “As COVID-19 continues to evolve, I have written several blog posts about it and I’ve even made changes to the book that I’m currently writing. There are certainly many lessons to be learned, and we still have a long way to go.” 

This event is the second Rebuild Upstate leadership conversation organized by Upstate Venture Connect. According to UVC CEO Nasir Ali, “Healthcare institutions are the front lines of our region’s defense against the pandemic. They are also major Upstate employers facing significant challenges to their business models. Understanding the role that innovation and technology can play for them is critical to our future success.”

The Rochester Beacon, a nonprofit digital news publication is partnering with UVC on this effort to share a wide selection of leaders’ views from across the region. Beacon publisher and serial healthcare entrepreneur Alex Zapesochny will moderate the discussion. "Major healthcare systems and organizations in our region have been experiencing unprecedented pressures from the health and economic impacts of COVID-19," said Zapesochny.  "Understanding what they have learned and how they move forward from here is critical to planning Upstate's comeback from this crisis."

The CNY Business Journal, Utica Observer-Dispatch, and Herkimer Times-Telegraph will also be covering the event as media partners. RSVP at https://uvc.org/Rebuild-Upstate

About Loretto

Loretto is a leader in comprehensive healthcare services in Central New York. As the fourth largest healthcare provider and the sixth largest employer in the region, the 2,500 exceptional people at Loretto’s 19 locations deliver extraordinary care to close to 10,000 people of all ages, income levels, and care needs in Onondaga and Cayuga counties each year. From adult day programs and short-term rehabilitation, to the home-like settings in its assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities, Loretto is actively investing in its employees, in medical research, and in new technologies to improve care in our community, Making Every Day Extraordinary. Loretto: Exceptional people. Extraordinary care. For more information on Loretto, please visit www.lorettocny.org. 

About Upstate Venture Connect

Upstate Venture Connect (UVC) is a 501c3 public nonprofit creating an entrepreneur-led startup ecosystem for Upstate NY. Our mission is to empower and connect Upstate NY entrepreneurs to the people and resources needed for building high-growth companies. To these ends, UVC hosts Upstate Unleashed, an annual conference and awards luncheon that celebrates the top CEOs and entrepreneurial leaders in Upstate NY for their contributions. UVC also hosts a region-wide events calendar and a communications platform that reaches over 16,000 founders and startup supporters. The UNY50 Leadership Network is another signature resource. Membership is invitation-only for individuals who have experienced the startup world roller coaster, and who are committed to paying it forward. Learn more > UVC.org 

About Rochester Beacon

The Rochester Beacon is a digital publication and community forum in Rochester, N.Y., that provides an in-depth look at the region’s complex challenges. One of a growing number of nonprofit journalism efforts around the world, the Rochester Beacon publishes news articles, analysis and commentaries that shed light on issues of public interest.