Keith Churchwell, MD, named president of Yale New Haven Hospital

New Haven, CT (July 31, 2020) – Keith Churchwell, MD, has been appointed as the new president of Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) beginning on October 5, 2020. Dr. Churchwell takes over the role from Richard D’Aquila who announced his retirement after nearly 15 years at Yale New Haven Health. Dr. Churchwell most recently served as chief operating officer and executive vice president for YNHH, after spending five years as the senior vice president charged with leadership of the heart and vascular service line. Board certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, Dr. Churchwell arrived at Yale New Haven Hospital in 2015 from Vanderbilt University Medical Center where he served as executive director and chief medical officer of the Vanderbilt Heart and Vascular Institute.

“Keith has the perfect skills to advance Yale New Haven Hospital as a great teaching hospital and a critical resource to the greater New Haven communities,” said Borgstrom. “He has distinguished himself as a strategic thinker, thoughtful colleague and collaborator. We are fortunate to have someone with his level of clinical and administrative excellence serve as the new president of YNHH.”

Dr. Churchwell received his bachelor’s degree from Harvard University and his medical degree from Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. He completed his postgraduate training in cardiovascular disease and nuclear cardiology at Emory School of Medicine.

“I am deeply honored to serve as the next president of one of the nation’s leading, nationally-ranked teaching hospitals,” said Churchwell. “From the moment I arrived here in January of 2015, I knew this was a special place, filled with outstanding talent and individuals who were fully dedicated to the patients we serve. I am extremely enthusiastic about the future and the role of YNHH can play in transforming the delivery of healthcare.”

Dr. Churchwell currently serves on the national Board of Directors of the American Heart Association. He is active in the local community, serving as president of the New Haven Symphony Orchestra and he is also known for his “Walk with a Doc” sessions on Saturday mornings in Dixwell and Newhallville neighborhoods of New Haven. “Dr. Churchwell was the perfect choice to succeed Rick D’Aquila as president of Yale New Haven Hospital,” said Mary C. Farrell, chair, Yale New Haven Hospital Board of Directors.

“When we looked around the country for candidates for this position, we saw a number of exceptionally talented leaders. However, it became quickly evident that we already had the best person right here in New Haven. His skills, talents and strategic vision blended with his exceptional clinical background make Keith the smart and obvious choice.”

Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS), the largest and most comprehensive healthcare system in Connecticut, is recognized for advanced clinical care, quality, service, cost effectiveness and commitment to improving the health status of the communities it serves. YNHHS includes five hospitals – Bridgeport, Greenwich, Lawrence + Memorial, Westerly and Yale New Haven hospitals, several specialty networks and Northeast Medical Group, a non-profit medical foundation with several hundred community-based and hospital-employed physicians. YNHHS is affiliated with Yale University and Yale Medicine, the clinical practice of the Yale School of Medicine and the largest academic multi-specialty practice in New England. Yale New Haven Hospital is the primary teaching hospital of Yale School of Medicine. www.ynhhs.org