Gragnolati, Garrett, Ostrowsky named to national list of most influential in health care

By
Rich Pizzutillo
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File photos Brian Gragnolati, from left, Bob Garrett and Barry Ostrowsky, three of the state's most prominent health care leaders.

Three New Jersey hospital system CEOs were selected to Modern Healthcare’s list of the 100 most influential people in the sector.

Brian Gragnolati, CEO of Atlantic Health System and board chairman of the American Hospital Association, came in at No. 34.

Bob Garrett, CEO of Hackensack Meridian Health, was No. 48.

And Barry Ostrowsky, CEO of RWJBarnabas Health, was No. 69.

Garrett and Ostrowsky shared the top spot in the 2019 ROI-NJ Health Care Influencers list, one spot ahead of Gragnolati.

Modern Healthcare wrote the following about the three:

  • Gragnolati: Under his leadership, AHS continues to improve quality and access to health care, and invest in new therapy technologies. Gragnolati is also the board chairman of the American Hospital Association. In January, he said he planned to make affordability the focus of his tenure at AHA. AHS received Modern Healthcare’s 2019 Healthcare Impact Award for the Best Website Campaigns of the year. In October, the Atlantic Rehabilitation Institute hospital opened due to the joint venture between AHS and Kindred Healthcare.
  • Garrett: After merging three years ago, Hackensack Meridian Health became the largest health network in New Jersey, with 17 hospitals. After co-CEO John Lloyd retired in 2018, Garrett became the CEO in January. Under Garrett, the network partnered with Carrier Clinic, a behavioral health provider, and opened the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine. Garrett also made a historic partnership with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and in October announced merging with the not-for-profit Englewood Health, which will be completed next year.
  • Ostrowsky: He joined Saint Barnabas Health Care System in 1991, and has led RWJBarnabas Health since 2016, when it was formed. In October, RWJBH announced it will acquire Trinitas Regional Medical Center. RWJBH is one of 14 hospitals and health systems nationwide that recently pledged $700 million toward community health that includes affordable housing, more greenhouses, violence prevention interventions and local businesses, amongst other social determinants of health.