Dr. John Catanzaro, professor and chief of the Division of Cardiology at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University and director of the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU Health Medical Center, was recently honored with the prestigious Dr. John “Jack” Rose Distinguished Professorship, recognizing his significant contributions to improving health care delivery, excellence in clinical medicine, administration and academic advancement, including formation of the first Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship at ECU Health.
The Rose Professorship, established by ECU Health and East Carolina University through the ECU Health Foundation and state funds, honors Dr. Rose, a renowned cardiologist and professor. This endowed title supports the director of the East Carolina Heart Institute recognizes Dr. Rose’s exceptional contributions to cardiology and medical humanitarian work. Dr. Rose, who joined ECU Health in 1982 and the Brody School of Medicine in 1990, is celebrated for his dedication to patient care, teaching, and community service. Recipients of this professorship are expected to embody his ideals and passion for teaching, inspiring future generations of medical professionals.
“It’s an honor to be named to the Rose Professorship,” said Dr. Catanzaro. “This title not only recognizes Dr. Jack Rose’s work and legacy, which is focused on humanitarianism and the humanistic qualities of medicine, but it also allows me to highlight and continue his remarkable contributions. As program director, I perform hands-on teaching with trainees during cardiac procedures as well as teach didactic sessions. My primary role is to train the next generation of electrophysiologists to increase access to the patients of eastern North Carolina while maintaining a high standard of excellence in administration and leadership. This professorship is an opportunity to advance Dr. Rose’s legacy of teaching, administration and leadership, ensuring that his impact endures in these areas.”
Dr. Catanzaro completed his Doctor of Medicine with distinction in research at SUNY Downstate Medical Center, followed by an internal medicine residency and cardiovascular disease fellowship at North Shore University Hospital and a clinical cardiac electrophysiology fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital. He also holds an MBA from the University of Florida. He is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology, Heart Rhythm Society European Heart Rhythm Society and European Society of Cardiology. Dr. Catanzaro is actively involved with the Heart Rhythm Society’s Atrial Fibrillation Stroke Prevention Task Force and serves as vice chair of their Quality Improvement Committee. Nationally recognized for his work, Dr. Catanzaro has delivered invited presentations and chaired panels in the U.S., France, Italy, Germany, England, Romania and more. He also performed recorded procedures for the Heart Rhythm Society Scientific Sessions.
Dr. Catanzaro wanted to transition to an administrative role to broaden his impact beyond individual patients to the entire region and the cardiology division.
“We thought he was the best person for the future of cardiology,” said Dr. Mark Iannettoni, W. Randolph Chitwood, Jr, MD, Distinguished Chair in Cardiovascular Sciences, Brody School of Medicine at ECU and chief, Cardiovascular Service Line at the East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU Health Medical Center. “Dr. Catanzaro possesses a highly entrepreneurial spirit, bringing significant innovation to ECU Health. He has developed new techniques and devices in electrophysiology, advancing our capabilities in device management and patient care.”
The Rose Professorship comes with an endowment, managed by the university, to support ongoing and future initiatives in medical education and innovation. The endowment provides approximately $64,000 annually to advance the cardiology division’s educational and innovative efforts, supporting activities such as purchasing educational equipment, facilitating attendance at conferences, and other educational pursuits.
“The professorship facilitates innovation within the field by providing the necessary funding for new initiatives, such as introducing new devices,” said Dr. Catanzaro. “The goal is to use a certain amount of the endowment each year to support these innovations and to produce more trained physicians for the region. This helps establish our institution as a center of excellence and makes our advancements known.”
Dr. Catanzaro utilized part of the endowment to establish a two-year Electrophysiology Fellowship, admitting one fellow per year, starting this year. Electrophysiologists treat heart rhythm disorders and heart failure with electric devices inserted into the heart. As part of the fellowship, doctors will learn about pacemakers, defibrillators, implantation, ablations, leadless pacemakers, and left atrial appendage closure devices.
“This was one of the fastest fellowships from concept to establishment that we’ve ever done, which just goes to show you how much drive Dr. Catanzaro has,” said Dr. Herb Garrison, former associate dean for ECU’s Brody School of Medicine Graduate Medical Education. “It typically takes two to three years to establish a new residency or fellowship, and we did this in less than a year. That was a record time. And part of that had to do with Dr. Catanzaro and Alyson Riddick, who did an excellent job putting the application together.”
Dr. Jan Lopes is the first fellow in the Electrophysiology Fellowship at ECU Health. He learned about the new program through his cardiology fellowship leader in El Paso, Texas, and decided to join the fellowship because of Dr. Catanzaro’s strong vision for the program.
“Dr. Catanzaro’s enthusiasm for the program and education, along with the opportunity to shape the program for future fellows, attracted me to the fellowship,” said Dr. Lopes. “Despite being a new program, it feels well-established and highly developed. I feel incredibly supported in my role and am receiving top-tier training that rivals what is offered at major medical centers nationwide. We are utilizing cutting-edge technology and performing the latest procedures here at the medical center.”
Training doctors like Dr. Lopes with the latest technology and procedures is important for the future of health care. The need for well-trained electrophysiologists is increasing across the nation and here in eastern North Carolina, according to Dr. Garrison.
“The incidence of arrhythmias, along with the need for pacemakers and defibrillators, is rising as the population ages, making it a critical area of focus,” said Dr. Garrison. “Establishing residencies and fellowships serves two main purposes: recruiting top-tier faculty and creating a pipeline of skilled electrophysiologists. Faculty are attracted to institutions with trainees, and enhancing our program with excellent faculty was a strategic move by Dr. Catanzaro. This initiative ensures we have the necessary capability and qualified physicians to meet the growing demand for electrophysiology services.”
With the increasing demand for physicians and electrophysiologists trained to treat rural patients, Dr. Catanzaro’s efforts at ECU Health is paying off in the form of improved recruitment efforts.
“Dr. Catanzaro has successfully attracted numerous cardiologists,” said Dr. Iannettoni. “He has excelled at developing divisions within the cardiology department and navigating the integration of academia and medicine. His efforts have resulted in many of our graduates choosing to stay with us, which is a significant benefit of our program. We’re proud to retain our own trainees, ensuring continuity and excellence in our team.”
East Carolina University’s Brody School of Medicine has been recognized as a tier-one medical school in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.
The school is one of only fifteen nationwide to receive this distinction for primary care practice and is the only medical school in North Carolina to achieve this status.
The recognition arrives as new students, such as Ryan Bonnett, prepare to start their medical education at Brody.
“The Brody School of Medicine has prepared doctors for decades who make a tangible impact in the community, and being part of that tradition is a big honor,” Bonnett said.
Brody School of Medicine was also highlighted for its emphasis on primary care in rural and federally designated health service shortage areas. The school consistently ranks highly for producing graduates who serve in these underserved communities.
ECU stated more than half of Brody’s graduates from 2015-2017 entered primary care residencies in specialties such as family medicine and pediatrics.
“More often than not, our graduates go into primary care and serve in communities that are in desperate need. We are incredibly proud of their commitment to service,” said Dr. Jason Higginson, Executive Dean of the Brody School of Medicine.
Students at the school’s annual Albernaz Golden Apple Distinguished Lecture expressed their enthusiasm for their forthcoming studies.
“I know that I’m in the right place and that this school is equipped in all areas to prepare me,” Bonnett said.
The U.S. News rankings considered various factors, including student selectivity and MCAT scores, and this year’s methodology introduced a tiered ranking system rather than an ordinal scale. Schools in tier one were deemed the highest-performing institutions.
Additionally, U.S. News released a separate report ranking medical schools based on research performance.
ECU Health Medical Center was among four hospitals in North Carolina and 26 in the country to receive recognition by U.S. News & World Report.
The recognition is for success in caring for patients in historically underserved communities. According to a media release, “The new accolade and corresponding hospitals were revealed today at an exclusive event in Washington, ‘The State of Equity in America.’ U.S. News convened thought leaders from business, government, health, education and other sectors for a day of solutions-oriented dialogue on erasing disparities in America.
ECU was joined by these NC hospitals:
- Cape Fear Valley Medical Center (Fayetteville)
- Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital (Greensboro)
- UNC Hospitals (Chapel Hill)
North Carolina was one of seven states to have three or more hospitals recognized. California led the way with seven with North Carolina placing second.
“U.S. News’ recognition of the Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access highlights the important and necessary work hospitals are doing to improve care for underserved communities,” said Tavia Binger, senior health data analyst at U.S. News.
“This positive representation of community hospitals’ dedication to equitable access across 26 states is promising. However, this recognition also underscores the need for continued focus on prioritizing health care among vulnerable populations who may face numerous social and economic challenges in receiving care.”
Click here to find out more and to see the list of hospitals recognized.
A hospital says a medical school professor in Eastern Carolina has been named an emerging leader for her work addressing some of the most challenging problems in healthcare delivery.
ECU Health says Yaolin Zhou, MD, associate professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University was named to the 2023 Becker’s Hospital Review “Emerging Leaders: Provider Organization Leaders Under 40″ list.
The Becker’s Hospital Review list recognized the director of Quality and Test Utilization, and head of Molecular Pathology at ECU Health as up-and-coming leaders who is quickly rising through the ranks at their organizations, focusing on development, innovation, and improved outcomes while being under the age of 40.
The hospital says since her arrival in 2020, Dr. Zhou established an innovative molecular consultation service, focused primarily on pre- and post-testing review, to ensure cancer patients get appropriate molecular tests and treatment.
Most recently in 2023 ECU Health says she secured a $250,000 industry-funded quality improvement grant aimed to identify and address healthcare disparities in cancer care, ultimately improving patient outcomes in eastern North Carolina’s rural 29-county region.
“As a cancer survivor myself, I strive to bring quality and equitable cancer care to those I am honored to serve,” said Dr. Zhou. “All patients deserve high-quality and guideline-recommended cancer treatment.”
As the only molecular pathologist in ECU Health’s 29-county service area, she provides expertise that benefits more than 1.4 million individuals in the region.
She was also recognized as an international quality improvement and test utilization expert after she partnered with clinical colleagues to establish a health system-wide initiative to reduce daily repeat lab tests in 2020. ECU Health says she achieved a 15 to 25 percent reduction in unnecessary repeat daily testing throughout the system, earning her and her team the American Society for Clinical Pathology Choosing Wisley Champion Award.
The Nursing Program at East Carolina University showed exceptional performance and has landed at No. 4 on the 2023 Ranked Nursing Programs in North Carolina.
The programs were assessed on several factors that represent how well a program supports students toward licensure and extreme success.
ECU’s program is home to multiple quality nursing programs that include several BSN options. Students are also given the option between the traditional BSN, accelerated second degree BSN, or the Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurse Program, otherwise known as RIBN.
RIBN works with several local community colleges and it allows students to earn both an ADN and BSN.
Click here to see the full list.
The ECU Health Foundation recently received three Wallie Awards for work the team completed in 2019. The Wallie Awards are given out as part of the Carolinas Healthcare Public Relations and Marketing Society’s (CHPRMS) Fall Conference. As the region’s premier health care marketing and public relations society, the membership is some of the Southeast’s most talented professionals in the industry. The awards are a way to spotlight the work they produce.
ECU Health Foundation submitted three entries in three categories and won gold awards for all three. The categories were Annual Report, Web Design and Foundation/Fundraising Initiative.
The awards were presented at the CHPRMS Fall Conference in Asheville Nov. 20-22.
Media contact: Beth Anne Atkins, director, communications and donor relations, ECU Health Foundation, 252-847-7695 or [email protected]
Scott Senatore, president of ECU Health Foundation, has been included in the Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) 2019 40 Under 40 list.
The 40 Under 40 program is designed to recognize the future leaders within the health care philanthropy community. AHP is honoring these 40 young professionals because they are shaping the future of the health care development industry. Collectively, they are changing the world—one campaign at a time.
“These honorees are part of a select group of health care philanthropy who have demonstrated impressive career achievements, deep community involvement and the potential to be a leader in our profession for years to come,” said Alice Ayres, AHP president & CEO.
Senatore joined the Foundation in June 2016 and, with the Foundation team, has participated in raising nearly $46 million toward the $50 million goal for the ECU Health Cancer Care Campaign. The Foundation team has continued to raise funds for James and Connie Maynard Children’s Hospital and other system initiatives supporting its mission. Additionally, the Foundation team has enhanced marketing and communications efforts and has developed a more targeted approach to community relations.
Senatore will be recognized at the 2019 AHP Annual International Conference Oct. 23-26 in Washington, D.C. Recognition events will include an invitation-only breakfast and award dinner on Thursday, Oct. 24, during the conference.
“During his time at the ECU Health Foundation, Scott has provided strategic leadership and direction for the team. He has proven that he has the skills and experience necessary to lead and enhance our philanthropic efforts throughout the region,” said Dr. Michael Waldrum, CEO of ECU Health. “This recognition is well-deserved, and we are lucky to have him as part of the ECU Health family.”
To learn more about the 40 Under 40 program and each of this year’s recipients, visit www.ahp.org/40under40.
The Association for Healthcare Philanthropy (AHP) is an international professional organization dedicated exclusively to development professionals who encourage charity in health care organizations. AHP’s 4,300 members represent more than 2,200 health care facilities around the world. They collectively raise more than $11 billion each year for community health services.
Media contact: Beth Anne Atkins, director, communications and donor relations, ECU Health Foundation, 252-847-7695 or [email protected]
ECU Health earns CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ re-accreditation for commitment to team member well-being
ECU Health has earned CEO Cancer Gold Standard™ re-accreditation for maintaining a strong commitment to the health of team members and satisfying the latest, comprehensive requirements of the Gold Standard™. This is ECU Health’s seventh year receiving re-accreditation after first becoming accredited in 2012.
“Fulfilling our mission to improve the health and well-being of eastern North Carolina starts with leading by example,” said Scottie Gaskins, senior administrator of wellness, ECU Health. “As an employer and a health care system, we are equally committed to caring for our team members as we are our patients. Supporting our team members to engage in positive lifestyle choices contributes to their own well-being, reduces their risk for conditions like cancer and translates into them modeling those choices for their families, friends and patients. We love our team members and want them to feel loved and supported at work, not just when they become a patient.”
To earn Gold Standard™accreditation, an employer must take concrete actions to reduce the risk and burden of cancer, through the Gold Standard’s™ three main goals – risk reduction, early detection and quality care, including: prohibit tobacco use and support tobacco cessation efforts; promote physical activity, healthy nutrition and weight management; provide health insurance options that include detecting cancer at its earliest stages; access to quality care and participation in cancer clinical trials; promote employee awareness of these initiatives; support the needs of cancer survivors in the workplace.
ECU Health’s Wellness programming that supports this re-accreditation, includes:
- A tobacco-free workplace with financial incentive in our medical plan for team members and their dependents for working toward or living a tobacco-free lifestyle.
- Health risk assessments with incentives for participation.
- lifestyle coaching to educate and support team members to reduce risks, manage their condition, and access other wellness benefits.
- Counseling through our employee assistance program to reduce stress and learn positive coping.
- Nutrition assessments and counseling, coupled with cooking classes and a Healthy Food Environment policy to promote healthy eating at work and home.
- Discounts for weight loss, wellness centers and exercise programs.
- Cancer survivor exercise and nutrition programs.
- Cancer screenings covered on our ECU Health medical plan and easy access to most screenings at our ECU Health hospitals or clinics.
- Access to ECU Health Cancer Care teams and navigators for cancer prevention, early detection, treatment and support.
- Telephonic care management for those who need extra support.
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer, a nonprofit organization of CEOs, founded by former President George H.W. Bush, created the Gold Standard™ to recognize employers for taking exceptional health and wellness measures on behalf of their employees.
Media contact: Brian Wudkwych, 252-214-0782 or [email protected]
About The CEO Roundtable on Cancer
The CEO Roundtable on Cancer was founded in 2001, when President George H.W. Bush challenged a group of executives to “do something bold and venturesome about cancer within your own corporate families.” The CEOs responded by creating and encouraging the widespread adoption of the CEO Cancer Gold Standard, which calls for organizations to evaluate their health benefits and workplace culture and take extensive, concrete actions in five key areas of health and wellness to address cancer in the workplace. For more information on the CEO Cancer Gold Standard and the no-cost, web-based accreditation process, please visit www.CancerGoldStandard.org.