Verizon exec to chair Atlantic Health board

With technology playing an increasing role in the evolution of the healing arts, Robert A. Toohey, the new chair of the Atlantic Health System Board of Trustees, is uniquely equipped to help lead one of the state's highest-rated health-care organizations into the future.

A resident of the New Vernon section of Harding, Toohey is president of Verizon Digital Media Services and oversees Verizon's new media business. He's also been involved with several healthcare-related initiatives during his career, in part influenced by his wife, who works in the health-care industry.

"I'm excited to be a part of this and to be able to help the community," he said.

Toohey began his service to the nonprofit healthcare system — which includes Morristown, Overlook, Newton and Chilton medical centers and Goryeb Children's Hospital in Morristown — on the Atlantic Health Foundation before joining the board in 2007.

"The people and systems of Atlantic Health System are well-positioned to address the evolving health-care environment," Toohey said. "As incoming board chair, I look forward to working with Brian Gragnolati in his role as CEO and the board to further strengthen Atlantic Health System's position as a world-class health care system that offers a comprehensive system of care."

Toohey's career also includes relevant experience "on the buyer side" of healthcare, working with insurance and employee-benefit issues, but it is his unique knowledge of technology that may be the most valuable asset he brings to the board.

"There's no doubt over the next decade, on a national level, technology is going to make a tremendous difference in health care, and in how patients are experiencing health care," he said. "There's so much that technology does, through different devices, mobile devices, that will enable health care to get to that next place."

Not only does technology help patients communicate with their caregivers, Toohey said, it helps physicians to communicate with each other to bring care to the next level.

"It's not just about patients, or technology advancements in the OR," he said. "In our system, you might have doctors who are an hour and a half away from each other and can easily share diagnostic results and help each other. I think it's connecting everything together. When I think about it from a system of care, I think technology will be a great enabler to Atlantic Health to connect all parts of that care."

Toohey follows Karen Kessler, who served as board chair for the past five years. Kessler served as chair or vice chair of numerous committees on the board, including board governance, executive compensation, physician compensation and human resources.

"It has been an honor to serve on the board for these many years and I am immensely proud of the many accomplishments we have achieved," said Kessler, president of Evergreen Partners. "I am pleased to leave the board in excellent hands and I look forward to Atlantic Health System's continued growth and success."

Toohey has chaired the board's human resources and compensation committees for the last two years. He also was vice chair of the health-care operations subcommittee and a member of the medical leadership committee. Toohey also chaired the search committee that earlier this year selected Brian Gragnolati as Atlantic Health's new president and CEO.

"I look forward to building on our achievements and partnering with Bob, the entire board and the staff at Atlantic Health System in continuing to create a true system of care," he said. "We also will be working together in the coming year to make the requisite enhancements in systems, processes and organizational design. Our promise to our communities is that if you enter Atlantic Health System, you will receive the right care, at the right place, at the right time and right price."

Staff Writer William Westhoven: 973-428-6627; wwesthoven@GannettNJ.com.