07/23/2024
Dr. Paul Wright’s appointment as the John and Joanne Patrick Endowed Chair for Advanced Technology in Neuroscience marks a significant milestone in advancing healthcare technology at Nuvance Health.
Dr. Paul Wright, senior vice president and system chair of the Nuvance Health Neuroscience Institute, is the first John and Joanne Patrick Endowed Chair for Advanced Technology in Neuroscience. A generous $2 million gift from Dr. John R. and Mrs. Joanne Patrick has made this prestigious appointment possible. It is the 17th endowed chair at Nuvance Health. The endowment recognizes Dr. Wright’s leadership in integrating advanced technology into neurological care at Nuvance Health.
The Endowed Chair is a testament to the Patricks’ and Dr. Wright’s commitment to advancing healthcare through technological innovation. The Patricks’ support and Dr. Wright’s leadership will enable Nuvance Health to continue its mission of providing the latest care to its patients and improving health outcomes in the community. One way the endowment will play a vital role is in implementing artificial intelligence (AI) for preventing, diagnosing and treating patients in a personalized manner.
“I am beyond thankful for John and Joanne Patrick’s generosity and overwhelmed by the extraordinary honor of being the recipient of their endowment. We share a passion for technological advancements and a vision to apply them at Nuvance Health to help people get the best healthcare possible,” Dr. Wright said.
Dr. Wright has been a pivotal leader at Nuvance Health, introducing novel technologies to enhance patient care. These include portable MRI technology for neurological patients, and remote monitoring for stroke patients to detect changes in vital signs and prevent medical emergencies.
Dr. Wright has also spearheaded a remote monitoring program for patients with mild cognitive impairment, ensuring they receive timely and effective care at home. Additionally, Dr. Wright and Dr. Jordana Sandy are studying virtual reality (VR) to help patients relax before brain surgery, aiming to improve their overall experiences and outcomes.
“Joanne and I are delighted to be able to provide this Endowed Chair. We feel proud of Nuvance Health and look forward to seeing it implement the advanced technologies Dr. Wright introduces,” Dr. Patrick said.
Dr. John R. Patrick, a visionary in technology and healthcare, has made significant contributions to the development of the Internet. Dr. Patrick has played a crucial role in shaping the digital landscape as a co-founding member of the World Wide Web Consortium at MIT in 1994 and former vice president of Internet Technology at IBM.
Dr. Patrick is also a philanthropist and an active volunteer at Nuvance Health. He is a Digital Patient Experience Executive Committee member and was previously on the Danbury Hospital and Western Connecticut Health Network boards of directors. The Patricks also established the S. Javed Shahid, MD Endowed Fund for the Advancement of Neurosurgery, launched a women’s cardiac care program and funded a cell research lab in the Ruggles Research Institute at Nuvance Health. They also helped fund the Nuvance Health Keto Diet Study for Pancreatic Cancer and developments in several other clinical areas.
Grace Linhard, chief development officer at Nuvance Health, extended her heartfelt thanks to the Patricks: “We are deeply grateful to John and Joanne Patrick for their continual support of Nuvance Health. Their dedication and generosity have been instrumental in advancing our mission to provide exceptional care.”
Linhard shared, “Endowed Chairs are bestowed upon the brightest minds and trailblazers in their field. This latest Endowed Chair will further our ability to recruit top medical and clinical staff, acquire the latest healthcare technology and conduct research — all to improve the health of our patients and communities.”
Dr. Patrick is the president of Attitude LLC and the founder of the Patrick Foundation. He also served for 12 years on the board of OCLC, Inc., which provides cloud services to libraries worldwide. He is the author of seven books about technology, healthcare and business, including “Robot Attitude: How Robots and Artificial Intelligence Will Make Our Lives Better” and “Health Attitude: Unraveling and Solving the Complexities of Healthcare.” See johnpatrick.com.
