Newswise — STONY BROOK, N.Y., October 22, 2018: Stony Brook University Hospital has appointed Mark Sands, MD, MBA, FACR, as Chief Medical Officer, effective November 1.

Dr. Sands earned his Bachelor of Science and Medical Degrees from Northwestern University, as well as a Masters of Business Administration from Case Western Reserve University-Weatherhead School of Management. He previously served as the Enterprise Associate Chief Quality Officer for the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, where he was responsible for standardizing high-risk quality clinical operations across 10 Health System hospitals, 15 Family Health Centers, and eight Ambulatory Surgery Centers. In addition, he is also board certified in Diagnostic Radiology and acted as Vice Chairman of Clinical Operations and Quality of the Cleveland Clinic’s Enterprise-wide Imaging Institute (Radiology).

Dr. Sands’ 27-year career in medicine and experience in a variety of leadership positions at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation allows him to bring a unique perspective on the healthcare landscape to his new role. As Chief Medical Officer, he will oversee the clinical operation that includes the quality of care and patient safety, coordination of clinical care, development of clinical information systems and physician engagement.

“We are excited to have Dr. Sands join our leadership team,” said Ernest J. Baptiste, CEO, SBUH. “He brings a commitment to patient safety and quality that will greatly benefit Stony Brook University Hospital during a time of tremendous change in healthcare. Dr. Sands' expertise in clinical systems improvement will be of considerable benefit as we continue to grow, improve our clinical outcomes and deliver on our commitment to providing quality care to the communities we serve.”

“I am privileged to be joining Stony Brook at this exciting time. I look forward to being a part of the ongoing journey as Stony Brook incorporates value-based and patient-centered care into its model of academic and clinical excellence,” Dr. Sands said.

A Brooklyn native, Dr. Sands is looking forward to moving to Port Jefferson and joining Stony Brook’s accomplished team.

About Stony Brook Medicine

Stony Brook Medicine elevates all of Stony Brook University’s health-related initiatives: education, research and patient care. It includes six Health Sciences schools — Dental Medicine, Health Technology and Management, Medicine, Nursing, Social Welfare and Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences — as well as Stony Brook University Hospital, Stony Brook Children’s Hospital and more than 120 community-based healthcare settings throughout Suffolk County. To learn more, visit stonybrookmedicine.edu.