Dr. Clifton Lacy to Leave as President of RWJUH to Direct Institute for Disaster and Terror Medicine
Institute to be Based at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital
New Brunswick - Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital and Health System President and CEO Clifton R. Lacy, M.D., today announced that he will leave the hospital and health system leadership to focus full time on developing and directing a new Institute for Disaster and Terror Medicine at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Within the Institute is the International Center for Terror Medicine, which Dr. Lacy founded with colleagues in Israel to lead medical research, education and training in the post 9-11 world.
“This was a difficult decision for me. The Hospital and the Institute both require full-time leadership,” Dr. Lacy said. “I am passionate about my work in terror medicine, and cannot devote the time required to the Institute while maintaining my role as leader of RWJUH.”
Dr. Lacy informed the hospital board of directors Wednesday of his decision. He will continue to lead the hospital until a time frame for transition is developed.
The Institute will operate out of the UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital academic medical center campus in New Brunswick.
“I am very pleased that Dr. Lacy will be joining us in our efforts to further develop our anti-terrorism programs at the school and hospital,” said Peter S. Amenta, M.D., Ph.D., interim dean at UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.
“Dr. Lacy has done great work at the hospital and his new role will increase our collective knowledge of how to handle large-scale medical threats. He has done extraordinary work to increase the emergency management capabilities of RWJUH, both to serve the people of New Jersey and the nation. We look forward to working with him in his new capacity,” said Gil Blitz, chairman of the Board of Directors of Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital.
Dr. Lacy’s experience in terror medicine began the day he became New Jersey Commissioner of Health and Senior Services. He led statewide efforts to improve response times and improve public safety after the anthrax attacks of 2001, and has continued that work ever since.
Active at state and national levels in health emergency and disaster preparedness and response, Dr. Lacy also chairs the Advisory Board of the New Jersey Center for Public Health Preparedness at UMDNJ and serves on the cabinet-level New Jersey Domestic Security Preparedness Task Force. He also served on Gov. Jon Corzine’s Homeland Security and Public Safety Policy Group.
“The International Center for Terror Medicine is the next step in the medical fight against terrorism, a major threat in this 21 st century,” Blitz said. “Its efforts will help save lives and improve patient recovery after any catastrophic event.”
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