It is our privilege to serve as the primary anesthesia provider at Montefiore Einstein health system during a period of growth. We are proud to have led the way with our colleagues to increase access to ambulatory procedures in the operating room as well as procedural suites. With our expertise in providing safe anesthesia services for a diverse range of procedures, we are excited to be a partner in the newest MHS locations – Montefiore Mount Vernon and Montefiore New Rochelle. The Department of Anesthesiology is in a unique position to support MHS in their expanded footprint throughout the greater New York City area, while continuing to provide excellent care to the Bronx community. Our faculty also continue to demonstrate their expertise and leadership across New York State and nationally. For example, our Vice Chair of Clinical Operations and Director of Civility and Workplace Standards, Dr. Tracey Straker, was installed as the new President of the New York State Society of Anesthesiologists (NYSSA) – a well-deserved achievement that recognizes Dr. Straker’s exemplary leadership skills and commitment to advancing the field of anesthesiology. 

Our greatest achievements in 2024 have been the result of collaboration, innovative thinking, and a growth mindset by our faculty and staff. In 2024, the Department of Anesthesiology onboarded a total of 33 new full-time faculty members – representing a great success that has led to the infusion of new ideas and leaders in our department. In collaboration with institutional leadership, we have created a new staffing model for the Montefiore Hutchinson Campus Ambulatory Surgery Center, expanded the scope of our Critical Care Anesthesiology Division, and decreased the rate of perioperative pulmonary embolism among patients through a quality improvement initiative. These are just a few of the impactful projects our faculty and department members have been working on over the last year to continue to provide exemplary patient care. 

Our Anesthesiology Digital Health Research Lab and clinician scientists have been hard at work conducting high quality research and have published more than 50 original articles in high impact factor, peer-reviewed journals this year. One of our most prolific research projects of 2024 resulted in an article published in Nature Medicine, titled, “Role of anticoagulation therapy in modifying stroke risk associated with new-onset atrial fibrillation after non-cardiac surgery.” This is an important publication with future public health implications, which was the result of multidisciplinary collaboration with our colleagues in the Department of Cardiology and Thoracic Surgery. A testament to the research team’s excellent work on this paper, first-year Anesthesiology Resident Dr. Maíra Rudolph and Attending Anesthesiologist Dr. Omid Azimaraghi received the Henry L. Moses Prize for their outstanding work as shared first authors. At the heart of our work is conducting multidisciplinary research that will have a tangible impact on future patient outcomes. This year, we were pleased to welcome our new Vice Chair of Research and Pediatric Anesthesiology, Dr. Olubukola Nafiu, an internationally renowned researcher and expert in perioperative care for children. Dr. Nafiu has brought a wealth of experience with him to Montefiore Einstein as we continue to expand our anesthesia services for pediatric patients and conduct research to study the effects of anesthesia on children. 

Our Digital Health Research Lab has also been a key partner to the MHS Network Performance Group to improve our patient safety outcomes. Anesthesiologist and Intensivist Dr. Christopher Tam was selected as the 2024 MHS Performance Improvement Fellow and co-champion in an effort to reduce the incidence of Patient Safety Indicator (PSI) 12 – the rate of perioperative pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. He has been working in collaboration with Dr. Fran Ganz-Lord, MHS Assistant Vice President for Quality and Performance Improvement, Dr. Ling Zhang, Director of IT Innovation for the Department of Anesthesiology, and Anesthesiology Resident Dr. Maíra Rudolph to analyze chemoprophylaxis of deep vein thrombosis to improve patient outcomes in this area. As part of these efforts, the Anesthesiology Digital Health Lab created a prediction model to determine which patients are at an increased risk of a thromboembolic event. The new tool is being used to improve patient safety and lead to better outcomes for Montefiore Einstein’s most vulnerable patients.

Education remains a top priority for our department, and we continue to invest in providing educational initiatives for medical students at Einstein as well as additional resources for our residents and fellows. In 2024, we developed a new Research Rotation for Anesthesiology residents who are interested in further cultivating their research skills and working with the Digital Health Lab throughout their training. We currently have three residents on our Advanced Research Track who each regularly publish original articles in high impact factor, peer-reviewed journals. Another major honor within our Education division was CA3 Resident Dr. Jordan Thompson’s recognition as one of Montefiore’s Outstanding House Officers – an award that celebrates Dr. Thompson's exceptional clinical acumen, compassionate patient care, and strong rapport with colleagues. Our goal for 2025 is to continue to cultivate academic curiosity among our trainees and to recruit a talented class of residents who are passionate about serving the Bronx community.

With both new and veteran members, our department is in a wonderful position to continue to serve our patient population. Inspired by the energy of the Bronx, it is our honor to serve the Montefiore Einstein community. As we innovate through research, collaboration, and quality improvement, we continue to advance the fields of medicine and surgery and inspire tomorrow’s anesthesiology leaders.