www.HartfordBusiness.com • November 27, 2017 • Hartford Business Journal 3
Newsmakers
EDITORIAL
Greg Bordonaro | Editor, ext. 139, gbordonaro@HartfordBusiness.com
Gregory Seay | News Editor, ext. 144, gseay@HartfordBusiness.com
Matt Pilon | News Editor, ext. 143, mpilon@HartfordBusiness.com
John Stearns | Staff Writer, ext. 145, jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com
Patricia Daddona | Web Editor, ext. 127, pdaddona@HartfordBusiness.com
Stephanie Meagher | Research Director
Heide Martin | Research Assistant
Steve Laschever | Photographer
BUSINESS
Joe Zwiebel | President and Publisher, ext. 132, jzwiebel@HartfordBusiness.com
Donna Collins | Associate Publisher, ext. 121, dcollins@HartfordBusiness.com
Sara Lavery | Office and Project Manager, ext. 137, saralavery@hartfordbusiness.com
Allison Williams | Office & Sales Coordinator, ext. 122, awilliams@HartfordBusiness.com
Amy Orsini | Events Manager, ext. 134, aorsini@HartfordBusiness.com
Jaime Rudy | Sales Director, ext. 124, jrudy@HartfordBusiness.com
David Hartley | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 130, dhartley@HartfordBusiness.com
Christopher Mazzaia | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 128, cmazzaia@HartfordBusiness.com
Kristen P. Nickerson | Sr. Accounts Manager, ext. 133, knickerson@HartfordBusiness.com
Karen Spatafora | Accounts Manager, ext. 131, kspatafora@HartfordBusiness.com
Raki Zwiebel | Credit and Collections Manager
Valerie Clark | Accounting Assistant/Office Manager
Jill Coran | Human Resources Manager
PRODUCTION
Christopher Wallace | Art Director, ext. 147, cwallace@HartfordBusiness.com
Liz Saltzman | Creative Director, ext. 140, lsaltzman@HartfordBusiness.com
Peter Stanton | CEO, pstanton@nebusinessmedia.com
Joseph Zwiebel | President, ext. 132, jzwiebel@HartfordBusiness.com
Mary Rogers | COO/CFO, mrogers@nebusinessmedia.com
SUBSCRIPTIONS:
Annual subscriptions are $84.95. To subscribe, visit HartfordBusiness.com,
email hartfordbusiness@cambeywest.com, or call (845) 267-3008.
ADVERTISING:
For advertising information, please call (860) 236-9998.Please address all correspondence to:
Hartford Business Journal, 15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hart ford CT 06103.
NEWS DEPARTMENT:
If you have a news item: Call us at (860) 236-9998, fax us at (860) 570-2493,
or e-mail us at news@HartfordBusiness.com.
Hartford Business Journal accepts no responsibility for unsolicited manuscripts
or materials and in general does not return them to the sender.
Hartford Business Journal (ISSN 1083-5245) is published weekly, 49x per year — including
three special issues in July, November and December — by new England Business Media, LLC,
15 Lewis Street, Suite 200, Hartford, CT 06103. Periodicals postage paid at Hartford, CT and at
additional entry points.
Tel: (860) 236-9998 • Fax (860) 570-2493
Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.
Postmaster:
Please send address changes to:
Hartford Business Journal
P.O. Box 330, Congers, NY 10920-9894
www.copyright.com
www.HartfordBusiness.com
(860) 236-9998
Coming to terms
"We deeply understand and
regret the inconvenience and
disruption that being out of
network has caused our patients
and communities."
Hartford HealthCare President
and Chief Operating Officer
Jeffrey Flaks commenting on
the recent end to a seven-week contract stalemate
with health insurer Anthem.
Manufacturers bullish
on growth prospects
"This coincides with what we're
hearing from manufacturers
across the state — overall, they
are doing really well. They just
need to find skilled talent to
replace retiring workers."
Connecticut Business & Industry Association
economist Pete Gioia reacting to a recent CBIA
survey, which found that 43 percent of manufacturers
in the state are reporting an optimistic outlook.
Dr. Steven C. Thornquist
President, Connecticut State Medical Society
By John Stearns
jstearns@HartfordBusiness.com
Dr. Steven C. Thornquist, a board-certified ophthal-
mologist who practices pediatric ophthalmology at The
Eye Care Group in Waterbury, has a platform to focus
on important medical issues
as the newest president of the
Connecticut State Medical Soci-
ety (CSMS). He will hold the role
through next September.
As president, he speaks for
CSMS members and represents
the profession to the public. His
personal focus is on preserving
the doctor-patient relationship
by improving physician and
patient engagement in care delivery, and in addressing
inequities and issues surrounding diversity in both the
profession and in health care.
Asked about challenges physicians face today, he
cited increasingly complex reporting requirements, but
fewer resources to meet those demands. Doctor reim-
bursements from government payers are continually
being reduced, while drug prices, technology costs and
insurance premiums balloon. Small medical practices
also employ tens of thousands in Connecticut, but face
escalating taxes and fees, he said.
Diversity is an important goal for Thornquist, who said
studies show diversity in the workplace and education leads
to better understanding of each other, and in medicine, to
better understanding and sensitivity to patients with differ-
ent backgrounds — "and that leads to better care."
African-Americans, Latinos and Native Americans are
underrepresented in the profession, he added.
Among women, there are more medical graduates,
but they remain underrepresented in leadership in
organized medicine, Thornquist said, adding, "I believe
we will all benefit if we can improve on this."
How would you describe the healthcare climate for
physicians?
Difficult. We are seeing record levels of burnout as
physicians lose influence, or control, over our profes-
sion, our practices, and our patients' care. Yet we are
often at the forefront of improving care quality and
efficiency.
Our expertise needs to be recognized and incorpo-
rated in future healthcare reforms.
What's the biggest challenge you face as CSMS president?
Advocating for physicians and patients in an atmo-
sphere of increasing external demands and controls,
and ensuring that physicians are represented and con-
sidered in every healthcare development and decision.
What's the biggest opportunity facing physicians?
Things are changing on a fundamental level. This of-
fers the opportunity to build a system that truly answers
to patient care needs, outcomes and the doctor-patient
relationship within a physician-led healthcare team.
Tell us something about you many people don't know.
I love the outdoors, particularly hiking and ski-
ing, and I bake bread, especially sourdough. I've had a
starter going for about eight years now.
VERBATIM
860.871.1111 Toll Free: 800.741.6367 nemsi.com
License #'s: E1-104939 • S1-302974 • P1-203519 • F1-10498 • SM1-192 • MC-1134
MECHANICAL • ELECTRICAL • PLUMBING • SHEET METAL • BUILDING AUTOMATION • FACILITIES SERVICES
FACILITY SOLUTIONS…ONE SOURCE
The company that builds and installs the critical systems in virtually every type of facility
is the same company you can rely on to maintain them. For over 50 years, our clients have trusted
us to deliver end-to-end facilities solutions, so they can focus on their core business.
We design, install, maintain, and protect systems in:
Industrial Facilities
Manufacturing Facilities
Commercial Facilities
Higher Education Facilities
Healthcare Facilities
Pharmaceutical Facilities
PHOTO
|
SUBMITTED
