Hackensack University Medical Center Names New Chair of Emergency Medicine

On Nov 27, 2018

Hackensack Meridian Health has named Joseph Underwood, M.D. as chair of Emergency Medicine at Hackensack University Medical Center.

“A strategic and innovative leader, Underwood will help to further our mission to transform health care and serve as a leader of positive change,” said Mark D. Sparta, FACHE, president, Hackensack University Medical Center, executive vice president, Population Health, Hackensack Meridian Health. “Our caring community will be enriched by his skilled and dedicated approach to patient care.”

Underwood previously served as chief of the Division of Emergency Medicine at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, where he was honored with a Physician of the Year Award and a Faculty Teaching Award. He led a team recognized by the Intelligent Healthcare Association with a 2018 Improving Patient Safety and Healthcare Delivery Award for creating a novel and innovative telehealth care delivery model.

“I look forward to collaborating with Dr. Underwood as we continue to elevate and advance the care we provide for our patients, their families, and our community,” said Lisa Tank, M.D., FACP, CMD, chief medical officer, Hackensack University Medical Center. “He brings a wide range of expertise in the clinical, quality, research, and educational realms.”

Underwood holds a medical degree from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, and completed his residency at New York-Presbyterian Hospital, The University Hospital of Columbia and Cornell. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

“My mother was a nurse who specialized in critical care and trauma, and I have wanted to be a doctor for as long as I can remember,” said Dr. Underwood. “I chose health care because of my desire to connect with patients, to alleviate their pain and suffering, and to help promote good health.”

Dr. Underwood’s professional affiliations include the: American College of Emergency Physicians; Ridgewood Medical Society; Society of Academic Emergency Medicine; and Association of Academic Chairs in Emergency Medicine. He has conducted research and published in his field. Hackensack University Medical Center is the only state-designated trauma center in Bergen County.

To access more business news, visit NJB News Now.

Related Articles: