Catholic Health Services of Long Island has named Alan D. Guerci, M.D., a nationally-known cardiologist, as President and Chief Executive Officer of St. Francis Hospital - The Heart Center in Roslyn. Dr. Guerci had served as the hospital's interim President and CEO since May 1, 1999, following the retirement of Patrick J. Scollard.

"Alan Guerci's reputation as a preeminent researcher has enhanced the hospital's position as a leading national cardiac center and a pioneer in developing innovative techniques to battle heart disease," said Ronald R. Aldrich, president and chief executive officer of Catholic Health Services of Long Island, a system comprising four hospitals, nursing homes, home health agencies, and other related health and human services organizations. "We are extremely pleased to appoint Dr. Guerci, who has made an outstanding contribution to the hospital's mission and proud tradition, and who is so familiar with its operations, people and programs."

A distinguished clinician, teacher and researcher, in 1992 Dr. Guerci was appointed as Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and Director of Research of St. Francis Hospital, which is the only designated cardiac care specialty center in New York State. The hospital has the largest cardiac caseload in the state, last year totaling some 2,457 cases of open heart surgery, and performs the nation's second-largest volume of open heart surgery and cardiac catheterizations. It also has the nation's largest Arrhythmia and Pacemaker Center for the evaluation and treatment of cardiac rhythm disturbances.

"Dr. Guerci has been an integral part of St. Francis Hospital community for seven years, directing efforts to participate in research on a national level and assuring the highest levels of skill and training among St. Francis Hospital physicians," said Leslie C. Quick, Jr., Chairman of the St. Francis Hospital Board of Governors. "His leadership has contributed greatly to the success of St. Francis as New York State's only specialty cardiac center and undoubtedly will further this Mission as he assumes the position of President and CEO."

Dr. Guerci brings an outstanding record of accomplishment and experience to the job. He current serves as Chairman of the Clinical Trials Review Committee of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH); Member of the Cardiac Advisory Committee for the New York State Department of Health; Associate Professor of Clinical Medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Columbia University; and formerly was director of the coronary care unit at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore.

Dr. Guerci has served as principal investigator on numerous important, leading-edge research programs supported by fellowships and grants. He is the senior author of hundreds of peer reviewed articles, reviews, chapters, editorials and abstracts for a wide range of scholarly medical journals and related publications. Currently, he reviews articles for the New England Journal of Medicine, Circulation, The Journal of the American College of Cardiology, The American Heart Journal and the American Journal of Cardiac Imaging. Additionally, he has been active as a consultant at the state and federal level, as well as in the private sector, serving on a host of review and monitoring committees.

"I am honored by the confidence placed in me by Bishop McGann and the Search Committee. In these challenging times for healthcare, I am committed to maintaining the preeminence of St. Francis Hospital in the field of cardiac care," commented Dr. Guerci following his appointment. In addition to his duties at St. Francis, Dr. Guerci is also on the Board of Directors of Catholic Health Services of Long Island and is the first Medical Director of the Long Island Health Network, a regional 10-hospital group.

The appointment of Dr. Guerci follows a national search, and comes with the support of a search committee, which included representatives from Catholic Health Services of Long Island, the St. Francis Hospital Board of Governors, the hospital's medical staff, and Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, the founding order of St. Francis Hospital.

A cum laude graduate of Harvard College, Dr. Guerci received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in New York City. His post-graduate training included a residency in internal medicine at the University of California San Francisco Medical Center, where he served chief resident, and a cardiology fellowship at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

As a leading regional referral center for tertiary cardiac care and selected medical services, St. Francis Hospital provides comprehensive programs in cardiac diagnosis, treatment, clinical research and community health education. In recognition of its consistently high levels of quality care, St. Francis Hospital has received Accreditation with Commendation by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the highest level possible, for a third consecutive three-year period.

Dr. Guerci resides in Garden City with his wife, Leslie and son, John.