On February 17, Saint Francis Hospital had the opportunity to host Stephen Konya, Chief of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Coordinated by the Connecticut Health Council, the visit was designed to highlight how Connecticut is advancing health care delivery, workforce innovation, digital transformation and public-private collaboration.
(L to R) Syed Hussain, MD, Chief Medical Officer; Valerie Powell-Stafford, FACHE, MHSA, President; Stephen Konya, Chief of Innovation and Strategic Partnerships at the Assistant Secretary for Technology Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Tiffany Morrissey, Executive Director, Connecticut Health Council; Dan Keenan, JD, Regional Vice President, Advocacy and Government Relations.
The multi-day visit featured immersive site visits with leading health care systems, innovation organizations and state agencies, highlighting scalable models that improve access, strengthen workforce pipelines and leverage technology and data to enhance patient outcomes.
During the visit to Saint Francis, HHS leaders toured the Virtual Nursing Hub and state-of-the-art Simulation Lab, highlighting the innovative technologies and clinical advancements that are helping enhance patient care for the community. There was also discussion of key areas where support from HHS can further strengthen advocacy priorities and accelerate progress across the region.
The federal leaders also visited SONE Health, Hartford HealthCare, Connecticut Children’s, Deloitte and CONNIE (Connecticut’s Health Information Exchange). The visit reinforced Connecticut’s growing reputation as a national leader in health system modernization, workforce development and innovation policy alignment.
“This visit represents a powerful opportunity to elevate Connecticut as a national model for health care innovation,” said Tiffany Morrissey, Executive Director of the Connecticut Health Council. “This is more than showcasing excellence – it’s about strengthening federal partnerships that unlock future investments, pilots and policy pathways that benefit patients, communities and the health care workforce.
The Connecticut Health Council is the state’s health care industry partnership, convening employers, educators, policymakers and workforce leaders to strengthen health care talent pipelines, drive innovation and advance economic development through health care. Valerie Powell-Stafford, FACHE, MHSA, President, Saint Francis and Mount Sinai, is an executive board member of the Connecticut Health Council.