New Mercy Hospital president, Joseph Manopella, is introduced

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There is a new president coming to Mercy Hospital in Rockville Centre, and he’s bringing with him more than 25 years experience in the health care industry.
Joseph Manopella, who is making his way from Northwell Health, takes over at the North Village Avenue facility on July 25.

“I’d always been fascinated with medicine, and had thought of going to medical school,” Manopella said. “However, that changed when I realized that I wanted a career that combined health care and business — and health care administration provided just that.“

Manopella joined Northwell Health in 1999 as an administrative resident, and by 2008, he was a deputy executive director. He ultimately worked his way up as head of the Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital in Manhattan’s Upper East Side, just in time for that facility to celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Coming to Mercy Hospital means Manopella is jumping over to Catholic Health, which through its sponsorship by the Diocese of Rockville Centre, employs 16,000 people at six acute care hospitals, three nursing homes, and several other facilities on Long Island.

“It is deeply rooted in tradition,” Manopella said, “guided by its Catholic healing mission” as well as its values of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect and excellence.

“When the opportunity presented itself to lead a hospital into the future — one that aligns with my own core values — I wanted to be part of it.”
Mercy’s roots go back to France in the early 19th century, with three French-speaking members of the Congregation of the Infant Jesus coming to the United States in 1905.

They were encouraged to stay in New York by Bishop Charles McDonnell, who soon convinced Sister Marie Emma from the French congregation to set up a hospital in Nassau County. A 13-bed facility was opened in 1913 called “Old Mercy,” replaced by “New Mercy” in 1941.

“Mercy Hospital’s greatest strength is its rich history, its commitment to the community and the employees, so many of whom have spent their entire career at Mercy,” Manopella said. “The sense of pride, commitment and family that I have observed during my visits to the hospital is phenomenal.”

Yet, Manopella will have his work cut out for him. Like many health care facilities, Mercy Hospital looks to bounce back from the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Despite the many challenges of the pandemic, it’s made us stronger and wiser as we’ve encountered many valuable teaching moments,” he said. “I am fully committed to listening and getting to know our staff, while constantly looking to build on their culture of trust, respect and excellence.”

That includes serving a diverse community.
“The key to success for any organization is to truly understand the needs of each community,” Manopella said, “and tailor services to meet those needs.”

It also means getting to know local leaders, community organizations and businesses.
“Understanding the community is also about understanding their overall health patterns and providing tools and education to foster a community of wellness,” Manopella said. “We’ve identified areas of need, and I plan to work closely with our community outreach team to brainstorm how we can further customize services to enhance the well-being and health of the population.”

Mercy is growing, not just with a new president, but also physically. Catholic Health plans to bringing more doctors into its network, expanding access to what Manopella describes as top-quality medical and surgical specialties.

“It’s part of our driving strategy to bring the right care, to the right place, at the right time,” he said.
Mercy also plans to enhance services within its emergency department, surgical specialties and cancer care services. Some at Mercy, while others will be off- campus, “embedded in the fabric of the local communities.”

And next year, Mercy expect to open its new Ambulatory & Family Care Center. This 16,000-square-foot care center will be located on the hospital’s campus, expanding services to the community like primary care, cardiology and endocrinology.

“Our front-line teams have never wavered, and all remain focused on providing exceptional care during our nation’s greatest health care challenge,” Manopella said. “For that, I am immensely proud, and forever grateful.”