Lean Behavioral Health: The Kings County Hospital Story

Joseph Merlino is the chief executive for behavioral health services and Director of Psychiatry at Kings County Hospital Center, where he leads the transformation efforts of the largest public hospitals in New York. He is also Professor of Psychiatry at the State University of New York - Downstate Medical College. He is on the Board of Directors for the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry.Joanna Omi is chief innovation officer and senior vice president for organizational innovation and effectiveness at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation (HHC). Ms. Omi provides leadership and operational guidance to Breakthrough, the HHC Enterprise-wide Improvement System. She is responsible for the development and adoption of lean throughout HHC's various healthcare facilities and corporate offices. Prior to her current position, Ms. Omi was HHC's Senior Assistant VicePresident for Corporate Planning and HIV Services. In this capacity, she led the Corporation's planning efforts and managed special projects, including the Corporate Ambulatory Care Restructuring Initiative, the Community Health Care Demonstration Project, HIV/AIDS programs and development of the firstfederally qualified health center on Staten Island.Jill Bowen is the senior associate executive director and chief of staff for Behavioral Health Services at Kings County Hospital Center. Trained as a clinical psychologist, she has been employed at Kings County Hospital Center for the past 26 years, in a variety of roles involving direct care, supervision and administration, strategic planning and program development for the department. She has played a significant role in the transformation of the services provided in the Behavioral Healthdepartment across the continuum of care.