Worcester Business Journal

wbjournal.com | December 1, 2025 | Worcester Business Journal 21 Leading with Purpose. Inspiring with Heart. Health Care Nonprofit Leader of the Year Dr. Moses S. Dixon Congrulions Under Dr. Dixon's leadership, Senior Connection is redefining aging in Central Massachusetts—creating innovative programs, expanding access to care, and building housing solutions that honor the dignity of every older adult. H E A LT H C A R E F O C U S Dr. John Broach Director of the Division of Disaster Medicine and EMS at UMass Memorial Health and associate professor of emergency medicine at UMass Chan Medical School Education: Bachelor's degree, master's degree, and medical degree from North- western University; MBA from George Washington University Julie Inzerillo Lieutenant for UMass Memorial Mobile Integrated Health Education: Studied at Fitchburg State University, Quinsigamond Community College, and Springfield College Dr. Laurel O'Connor Medical director for UMass Memorial Mobile Integrated Health and associate professor of emergency medicine at UMass Chan Education: Bachelor's degree from Wesleyan University, medical degree from UMass Chan, master's degree from Morningside School of Biomedical Sciences at UMass Chan What are the best and worst aspects of working in health care? It can be difficult to guide patients through the complex healthcare system when many face roadblocks seeking the care they need. However, we love being able to help people through their most chal- lenging moments. Offering support and guidance adds a deep sense of purpose to our work. Community Healthcare Leaders of the Year UMass Memorial Health's Mobile Integrated Health program Those living conditions can some- times provide important clues about a patient's health or risk factors, said Dr. John Broach, director of the Division of Disaster Medicine and EMS at UMass Memorial Health. He provides admin- istrative oversight to the program while O'Connor oversees most day-to-day operations. "You're seeing them as a person in their environment, not just as a pa- tient," Broach said. When talking about the MIH pro- gram, Broach, Inzerillo, and O'Connor all refer repeatedly back to patient experience, one-on-one care, and argue for integrating MIH into healthcare systems more broadly, which likely won't happen until insurers agree to cover MIH services. Proposed legis- lation on Beacon Hill would require insurers to do so. Once integrated, healthcare systems stand to actually save money on care, O'Connor said. While conceding it's a moving target, her research has found MIH visits cost less than emergency room visits, and certainly less than hos- pitalizations. "This should be the future of medi- cine," said Dr. Eric Dickson, president and CEO of UMass Memorial Health. The UMass MIH program resulted in 40% fewer ER visits and 60% fewer admissions for patients who received MIH care, Dickson said. Programs like MIH help address the mega trend in health care of aging populations needing more care and ag- ing caregivers, who will need the next generation to step in. But as with any sort of new para- digm, MIH requires champions like O'Connor, Broach, and Inzerillo to demonstrate to policymakers, pro- viders, and even patients, why these novel approaches are worth backing. They don't fall out of thin air; they're the result of hard work and passionate medical workers. "It only works if you have the Julies of the world," Dickson said. " This should be the future of medicine." Dr. Eric Dickson, CEO and president of UMass Memorial Health W

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