Dean's Message

Thank you for taking the time to read through this annual report and to learn more about the work of ColumbiaDoctors over the past year. Whether you are a patient or a provider, you already have an appreciation for the quality of care we deliver, and the leadership offered by our physicians, surgeons, nurse practitioners, and clinicians. The stories told here show the variety of ways that ColumbiaDoctors changes lives for the better, and the remarkable range of talent and creativity possessed by our people.

In the months I have been at Columbia, my admiration for the dedication and skill of our physicians and clinical staff has only grown. There are few comparable environments in the field of medicine where new discoveries comprehensively inform patient care and where the clinical practice consistently guides scientific research. This virtuous cycle is made possible by the quality and commitment of more than 2,000 world-class physicians who comprise ColumbiaDoctors. They are expanding the frontiers of medicine on a daily basis by bringing the latest treatments to the bedsides of our patients.

In this special setting, the treatment of individual patients in our offices and clinics can sometimes raise the standard of care for distant patients we may never see. This leadership role is one we embrace, relishing that others look to us for advances in disease prevention. There is an energy – felt by those who work here and by our patients – that comes from being part of this environment.

Another tenet of ColumbiaDoctors and Columbia University Irving Medical Center is that we embrace diversity by recognizing it to be essential to excellence. The breadth of backgrounds, experience, and perspectives contained among our people is extraordinary, beyond what I have seen at any other medical center, and so too is the richness of the professional dialogue among our clinicians.

This unusual combination of strengths produces the stories told in this annual report, where you will learn about inspiring medical innovations, compassionate patient care, and heartfelt community engagement.

All my best,

Katrina Armstrong, MD
Chief Executive Officer, Columbia University Irving Medical Center,
Executive Vice President for Health and Biomedical Sciences, and
Dean of the Faculties of Health Sciences and Medicine