Eric Ascher, DO
MHCDS has been influential in my day to day practice – both as a clinician and clinician leader. The strength of a healthcare leader is more important than ever and every course is so relatable to practice. Having a seat at the table with the education to support my voice has built confidence in my decision making.
I am a Family Medicine Physician and the Assistant Director of Special Projects for Northwell Health, Ambulatory Operations. I have been involved in the roll out of Telehealth Services for our ambulatory network during COVID, the optimization of our current electronic health record and telehealth platform, and led upgrades, downtime, and the transition to a new electronic health record. I have led committees on data conversion and forms standardization for practice optimization. In collaboration with our communications team, I initiated a YouTube series called “Hack Your Health,” which teaches folks how to take care of common ailments at home, and I serve as a medical contributor on local and national news outlets. I am a Castle Connolly Top Doctor, and see patients with a focus on preventative medicine in Manhattan.
I love to travel with my husband – we take multiple trips throughout the year. Walking through cities, new and old, while trying new foods is always enjoyable. I also love cooking and hosting dinner parties as it is an opportunity to flex my creative muscles when trying new recipes, or creating my own. Another fun fact about me, I have artwork in a children’s book and movie.
Why did you decide to take the MHCDS program?
I was drawn to the MHCDS program knowing I would have the opportunity to gain both MBA and MPH skills, with a curriculum geared towards clinical leaders. As a leader, it is important to know your blind spots as well as practice lifelong learning.
What has been the best part of the program for you – so far?
What is most special about this program is the cohort and having the opportunity to connect with 35 other individuals who are impacted similarly in healthcare. Whether it is motivating team members, issues with payors/reimbursement, or the initiation of new programs – we have a unique chance to learn from each other. This program allows us to see medicine from a different point of view because all of the classes relate to the medical profession.
MHCDS does an excellent job at coupling aspects of business, public health, leadership, and management with medicine."
How have you used the MHCDS experience/skills/knowledge you have gained so far?
I have enjoyed the opportunity to work on projects that I believe will have a ripple effect on my organization and our neighboring organizations. I have been able to take lessons and discussions from every course and relate it back to an aspect of care delivery in my institution. It is exciting and rewarding to apply what I'm learning in real time, and it has made me a better physician and administrator.
An example of this would be lessons we learned through our Action Learning Project and Operational Management coursework. We explored key steps to developing pilot programs that succeed on their first iteration. I've been able to bring this back to work and add it to my toolkit as a leader.
Is there anything else that you would tell a friend or colleague who was considering the MHCDS program?
MHCDS has been influential in my day to day practice – both as a clinician and clinician leader. The strength of a healthcare leader is more important than ever and every course is so relatable to practice. Having a seat at the table with the education to support my voice has built confidence in my decision making.