After over 15 years as the president and CEO of Oneida Health, Gene Morreale retired April 1.
Since his appointment in 2007, Morreale has been a champion for bringing the latest technology to Oneida.
From the implementation of da Vinci robotic surgery to advanced imaging including PET/CT, 3 Tesla MRI and 3D mammography, to a linear accelerator for radiation oncology, today Oneida Health provides technology that is often only thought to exist within larger city healthcare systems.
Along with his leadership team, Morreale has also overseen the modernization of the hospital with significant renovations to the operating room, intensive care unity, post anesthesia care unit, emergency department, and development of a wound care center. Campus additions include the construction of both the medical and radiation oncology buildings, the Gorman Imaging Center, and most recently a new women’s health building which is due to open this summer.
Morreale’s leadership has also drastically expanded Oneida Health’s primary and specialty care network in Madison and western Oneida County with the addition of new patient services, including breast care, cardiology, oncology, podiatry, quick care, vascular, neurology and others.
Another highlight of Morreale’s term as president and CEO is the national recognition of Oneida Health’s patient safety and patient experience results. Over the past decade, Oneida Health has received some of the highest ratings in patient safety and patient experience in Upstate New York from national rating agencies, including LeapFrog, CMS, Healthgrades and Women’s Choice, among others. Most recently, the hospital was rated five-stars for safety by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, representing only one of seven hospitals in the state to receive the coveted five-star rating.
“I couldn’t be prouder of all we have accomplished during my tenure as president and CEO,” said Morreale. “All of the success we have experienced would not have been possible without the teamwork and support of the board of trustees, senior leaders, medical providers, and staff.”
The Oneida Health board of trustees engaged the healthcare consultants at WittKieffer to select the new CEO. WittKieffer placed 55 CEOs into hospitals in the US in 2020 alone.
Charles “Chuck” Gijanto will serve as interim president and CEO of Oneida Health during the transition. Gijanto has over 32 years of healthcare leadership experience and has served as an interim CEO at several hospitals since retiring in 2015.