The New Jersey Hospital Association named Eric Kaufmann as vice president and executive director of its Health Research and Educational Trust of New Jersey (HRET), an NJHA affiliate dedicated to advancing health care through education, patient safety and quality improvement, and research.
As vice president and executive director of HRET, Kaufmann will guide the Garden State Patient Safety Center and NJHA initiatives focused on healthcare quality, patient safety and community wellness, along with educational programming to support New Jersey’s healthcare workforce.
“I am honored to lead NJHA’s Health Research and Educational Trust at a time when advancing accessible, affordable and high-quality care is more important than ever,” said Kaufmann. “HRET’s commitment to rigorous research and meaningful education – delivered in partnership with providers, agencies and communities – creates real opportunities to improve health outcomes across our state.”
Kaufmann has more than a decade of experience with the N.J. Department of Human Services, most recently serving as senior adviser to the commissioner and acting chief financial officer. He provided fiscal and operations expertise across a number of critical health-care programs impacting hospitals, nursing homes and other providers, including Medicaid, information technology, research and special projects.
Kaufmann also served as budget director for the N.J. Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services and the Division of Developmental Disabilities.
“NJHA and its Health Research and Educational Trust are dedicated to advancing health care through impactful research and projects and top-tier continuing education,” said NJHA President and CEO Cathy Bennett. “With his strong commitment to service and deep Medicaid policy and operational expertise, Eric is the ideal leader to grow our efforts to support health and wellness across New Jersey.”
A report on the organization’s website says that there are 158,000 hospital-related jobs in New Jersey and Garden State medical centers generated $31.4 billion in economic activity across the state.
