The man who has led Erie County Medical Center since 2015 is leaving the Buffalo hospital in June for a statewide position.
Thomas J. Quatroche Jr., ECMC’s president and chief executive officer, will take a similar role with the Healthcare Association of New York State, a hospital and continuing care association which represents approximately 500 non-profit and public hospitals, nursing homes, home care agencies and other healthcare organizations serving 20 million people throughout the state.
“While I am saddened to leave an institution I love so completely and have devoted so much of my energy to for twenty-two years, I look forward to the new opportunity of working on behalf of healthcare institutions across New York State and utilize the experience and knowledge I have gained at ECMC to help them fulfill their commitments and missions to their patients and their respective communities,” Quatroche said as part of a prepared statement.
He first joined ECMC in 2004 as senior vice president of marketing, planning and business development. He is credited with leading the development of several initiatives at ECMC including cancer care, burn treatment, breast health, and kidney care while leading improvements in its trauma care and medical record keeping.
In 2016, he was influential in the passage of an amendment to a 2003 state which had created the Erie County Medical Center Corporation as a standalone state public benefit corporation. The amendment allowed ECMC to enter into agreements with Kaleida Health and the University at Buffalo to create and operate integrated healthcare delivery systems.
“Tom Quatroche has led ECMC with unflagging dedication and commitment. His focus throughout his career at ECMC has always been the delivery of reliable, high-quality care to our patients and his resolute, unwavering support of our caregivers - at every level. Tom leaves an overwhelmingly positive imprint on ECMC that will continue for years to come,” said Eugenio Russi, Chair of the ECMC Board of Directors, as part of a written statement.
In his new role, Quatroche will take on challenges including federal funding cuts and their impacts on the state’s healthcare grid.
He has served on HANYS’ board of trustees since 2016 and became its chair in 2020.
The current chair, Patrick O'Shaughnessy, offered these written remarks about Quatroche: “Tom has long been recognized as a compassionate, committed and highly-effective healthcare leader and champion at the local, state and federal levels. He knows firsthand the needs of our patients, healthcare workers and provider organizations and the challenges they face, and he’s proven himself time and again to be an effective advocate and spokesperson. Tom has our board of trustees’ utmost confidence and support.”