Dr. Ijeoma Akunyili has been appointed as the chief medical officer of the RWJBarnabas Health hospital Jersey City Medical Center in New Jersey.
Ijeoma Akunyili's mother is Dora Akunyili, a former minister of information and the late director-general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
On Wednesday, the hospital released a press release.
According to the press release, Ijeoma's leadership has resulted to a quadrupling of the services offered, with a focus on delivering healthcare to underserved populations.
“Previously, Dr Akunyili served as the chair of emergency medicine at Waterbury Hospital, a Level II trauma teaching hospital. There she was the change agent who led a dynamic team in dramatically reducing the lengths of stay, improving overall performance across multiple patient-centred metrics, and increasing physician staffing.
“She was awarded the 2019 Medical Director of the Year Award for the impressive turnaround of the Waterbury Hospital Emergency Department.
“In addition to her executive experience, Dr Akunyili has vast leadership and advocacy experience and is currently serving as the President of the Connecticut College of Emergency Physicians (CCEP).
“Prior, she served for several years on the board of directors of Texas and Connecticut Colleges of Emergency Physicians. She was an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine Houston, TX, and she is currently a Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine at Yale University,” according to the statement.
A grateful Akunyili thanked the hospital for the appointment and reaffirmed her dedication to providing excellent care.
According to her cited remarks, she is “grateful for this opportunity” and “looks forward to serving the residents of Hudson County” by maintaining her commitment to “safe, innovative, efficient, and equitable care.”
“It is a true privilege to lead the clinical effort at Jersey City Medical Center and to create sustainable health outcomes for our community,” she added.
Dr Akunyili’s previous position was Regional Medical Director for TeamHealth, Northeast Group. She oversaw the clinical and operational aspects of nearly twenty emergency rooms, critical care units, and hospitalist service lines across Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, and Pennsylvania.