St. Joseph’s Health Announces New President & CEO Dustin M. Riccio, MD, MBA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACT
Pam Garretson
Executive Director, Marketing & Public Relations
973-754-4500
garretsonp@sjhmc.org 

PATERSON, NJ (September 29, 2023) – The St. Joseph’s Health Board of Trustees is pleased to announce that Dustin M. Riccio, MD, MBA, has been named as the new President and Chief Executive Officer for the organization, effective January 8, 2024.

The Board of Trustees initiated a nationwide search for a new President and CEO beginning in March 2023. Through an exhaustive and in-depth process, the search committee interviewed numerous highly qualified candidates from across the country. “Among the competitive field of outstanding candidates, Dr. Riccio was a standout,” said Wilfredo Fernandez, chair of the St. Joseph’s Health Board of Trustees. “His dynamic leadership style paired with a wealth of experience and deep commitment to the highest quality of care is unmatched. We are so happy to have him joining the St. Joseph’s Family.”

Dr. Riccio brings to the position over 20 years of diverse leadership experience in the healthcare industry, including direct patient care as a board-certified emergency medicine physician since 2008. “It is a true honor to be selected as the next leader of St. Joseph’s Health,” said Dr. Riccio. “It is a great institution with a proud history of excellence. I am sincerely looking forward to getting to know the entire organization and the community. I plan to hit the ground running, and am excited about future opportunities to bring even more services to the region, so that our community members will always have access to the best care locally,” added Dr. Riccio.

For the past 15 years, Dr. Riccio has been a part of Rochester Regional Health in Rochester, New York, serving in various leadership and clinical capacities, including President and Chief Operating Officer of Unity Hospital and Unity Specialty Hospital, as well as President of the Eastern Region of Rochester Regional Health. He also served as President of the Medical Staff for Unity Health System and Chair of the Emergency Department, prior to its merger with Rochester General Hospital in 2014.

Dr. Riccio holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Bucknell University, a Master’s of Biomedical Science from the University of South Carolina, and a Master’s of Business Administration from the University of Rochester - Simon Business School. He received his medical degree from Upstate Medical University, where he also served as Chief Resident, and is a diplomate of the American Board of Emergency Medicine.

“I’m excited for the next chapter at St. Joseph’s Health as I hand the reins to an incredible leader and person in Dustin Riccio,” said Kevin J. Slavin, the current President and CEO of St. Joseph’s Health who is retiring at the end of 2023. “I have truly been blessed and humbled to work in and lead such a wonderful organization for the past 8 years, with so many outstanding caregivers and dedicated team members.”

Dr. Riccio, who grew up in New Jersey, along with his wife and two sons, are eager to become an integral part of the community. “I’m thrilled to return to New Jersey and to join St. Joseph’s Health as its President and CEO. I believe in organizations that continually invest in their people and their communities and I can think of no better example than St. Joseph’s.”

ABOUT ST. JOSEPH’S HEALTH

Founded in 1867 by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth, St. Joseph’s Health is a world-class hospital and healthcare network supported by more than 5,000 leading and renowned physicians, nurses and care teams. From its humble beginnings, St. Joseph’s Health has become one of the premier health systems in the state. The organization continues to evolve as the leading health resource in the community, the largest employer in Passaic County, and one of the largest providers of charity care in New Jersey. 

The St. Joseph’s Health system is one of the leading clinical teaching and academic centers in the country, and has been recognized for its innovative programs and cutting-edge services. The health system operates a full continuum of care, including a regional tertiary care medical center (St. Joseph’s University Medical Center, Paterson), an acute care medical center (St. Joseph’s Wayne Medical Center, Wayne) a state-designated children’s hospital (St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, Paterson), a rehabilitation and long-term care facility (St. Joseph’s Healthcare & Rehab Center, Cedar Grove), an outpatient facility (St. Joseph’s Totowa Health Campus, Totowa) comprehensive home care (Visiting Health Services of New Jersey), and multiple ambulatory care centers located throughout Northern New Jersey. The system is further supported by St. Joseph’s Health Medical Group, which operates more than 100 physician medical and specialty practices across northern New Jersey.

Among its awarding-winning specialties, St. Joseph’s is home to the nationally acclaimed Alternatives to Opioids (ALTO®) program; the first accredited Geriatric Emergency Department in New Jersey; and recognized by US News with a top nursing home award and a five-star rating. In addition, St. Joseph’s University Medical Center is a six-time recipient of the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence, the profession’s highest honor

In September 2019, St. Joseph’s Health established a strategic and clinical partnership with Hackensack Meridian Health, one of New Jersey’s largest and most comprehensive and integrated health networks. Together, the two health systems operate a jointly-owned home health and hospice agency, serving patients and families across Bergen, Passaic and Morris Counties. In addition, St. Joseph’s and Hackensack Meridian have collaborated on clinical affiliations in acute rehabilitation (with the HMH JFK Johnson Rehabilitation Institute) and comprehensive oncology care (with the HMH John Theurer Cancer Center).  For more information, please visit www.stjosephshealth.org.