Certified Invasive Cardiology Specialist

Denver Health awarded top quality improvement honor. June 11, 2026. America's Essential Hospitals recognized Denver Health for its Obstetrics (OB) Perinatal Addiction Recovery (OB PEAR) Program, which integrates substance use disorder screening, treatment and care coordination into routine prenatal and postpartum care to reduce maternal morbidity. The association presented Denver Health with the 2026 Gage Award for quality improvement at a June 11 luncheon at VITAL2026, in Minneapolis. "America's Essential Hospitals' recognition of Denver Health's PEAR program serves as powerful validation that their work is making a difference in the lives of women committed to having healthy babies. It also underscores the caliber and impact that can transform lives when care takes the whole person into consideration," said Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health. "PEAR is an example for many in how putting a system in place with the right purpose and focus can drive meaningful results." "At Denver Health, we meet every patient exactly where they are without judgment and with unwavering compassion," said Stefka Fabbri, MD, chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Denver Health. "Pregnancy can be a vulnerable time, especially for people navigating substance use or other complex challenges. Our OB PEAR team walks alongside patients through every step, supporting them in giving birth to a healthy baby while honoring their dignity, their goals and their lived experiences. This recognition affirms what our community already knows: Denver Health is a trusted partner for those who need us most." OB PEAR's team spans more than 15 clinical departments, including Obstetrics and Gynecology, Labor and Delivery, Postpartum Care, Social Work, Pharmacy and Behavioral Health. Peer recovery coaches from Operation CARE by HardBeauty hear patients' perspectives, particularly on birthing experiences and child protective services processes, to inform program design. Harm reduction efforts have identified 136 at-risk patients and distributed 174 naloxone kits. From May 2024 to August 2025, use of the validated 5Ps Prenatal Substance Abuse Screening Tool, a tool designed by the Institute for Health and Recovery to detect substance use in pregnant individuals, has exceeded 96%, with no disparities by race, ethnicity or payer. America's Essential Hospitals represents more than 400 hospitals dedicated to high-quality care for all, including those who face social and financial barriers to care. The Gage Awards, named after association founder Larry Gage, honor and share successful and creative member hospital programs that improve patient care and meet community needs. The Gage Award for quality improvement recognizes activities that improve the quality of care or that mitigate threats to patient safety. "Our essential hospitals continuously innovate to build health care for the future and meet the needs of their communities," said Jennifer DeCubellis, MA, president and CEO of America's Essential Hospitals. "The Gage Awards not only honor these mission commitments and problem-solving but also help us spread what works so all communities benefit."

Vibrant Denver Bond delivers $20 million for community Health Center. Published on May 04, 2026 Denver - Denver's Department of Finance (DOF) today announced the completion of the final step in delivering $20 million in funding for the Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center. This afternoon, Denver City Council unanimously approved the Funding Assignment Agreement (FAA) between the city and Denver Health for the Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center, allocating $20 million to Denver Health for the center. This project was approved by voters as part of the Vibrant Denver Bond. "We're proud to partner with Denver Health to serve more patients and serve them better," said Mayor Mike Johnston. "Milestones like these are powerful reminders of our commitment to voters, and we look forward to continued celebrations with the community over the course of the next six years." The new 82,000 square-foot clinic will allow Denver Health to serve an additional 33,000 patients a year, a roughly 30% increase in their current number. Services will include primary care, pediatric care, dental care, OBGYN, physical and occupational therapy, radiology and preventive services. Denver Health will also have the ability to provide X-rays, ultrasounds and CT scans at the new community health center; previously, patients had to travel downtown to receive that care. "Denver Health is a pillar of our community, and we applaud their commitment to serving all residents and visitors. This project helps to ensure Denver Health is able to continue serving our communities long-term," said City Councilmember Jamie Torres. "Denver Health is grateful to Denver voters for their ongoing support of our health system," said Donna Lynne, CEO of Denver Health. "Funding from the Vibrant Denver Bond is already in use as the rebuilding of the Sam Sandos Westside Family Health Center is underway. We look forward to bringing expanded health care services to our patients and community with the opening of this state-of-the-art medical home next year." The project team held a ceremonial groundbreaking in November 2025 and is set to officially break ground in Q2 2026. Construction is expected to be completed by summer 2027. According to Denver Health, there will be no interruption in care during construction of the new clinic. The old clinic, which had served patients around the Denver metro area for nearly 60 years, will eventually be demolished to make room for parking. Approved by voters in 2025, the $950 million Vibrant Denver Bond program is delivering 58 projects across Denver, including libraries, parks and recreation centers, cultural facilities, affordable housing, streets, bridges, and traffic/pedestrian/cycling safety improvements, this family health clinic, and a children's advocacy center. How to stay involved. About Denver GO bonds. General obligation (GO) bonds are a long-term debt instrument issued by state or local governments to fund public capital improvement projects such as roads, bridges, bikeways, public facilities and parks. This includes restoring, replacing and expanding existing capital assets. Local GO bond programs are authorized by Denver voters every 4-10 years and repaid through property taxes. Denver's bond programs include Elevate Denver, a 10-year, $937 million general obligation bond program approved by voters in 2017, RISE Denver, a five-year, $260 million general obligation bond program approved by voters in 2021, and Vibrant Denver, a six-year, $950 million general obligation bond program approved by voters in 2025. For more information, visit denvergov.org/gobonds. About the Denver Department of Finance. Committed to being the best financially managed city and county in the nation, the Department of Finance (DOF) unifies the financial and accounting functions of the City and County of Denver and provides residents easy access to key financial data through Transparent Denver. DOF is divided into the Office of the CFO and seven divisions, including the Assessor's Office, Controller's Office, Budget and Management Office, Capital Management and Financing, Real Estate, Risk Management and Worker's Compensation, and Treasury. For more information, visit Denvergov.org/finance. Tagged as:

Denver Health earns National Accreditation for Breast Care Center. April 30, 2026. Denver Health has been awarded accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a program administered by the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The designation recognizes Denver Health's Breast Care Center as meeting rigorous national standards for quality, multidisciplinary care, and patient outcomes. In September 2025, Denver Health underwent an in-person site survey evaluating the Breast Program against more than 40 standards, including staff interviews, a facility tour, and a formal presentation. Following the review, the ACS granted full accreditation. The surveyor noted specific program strengths including "strong clinical staff," "resource center for patients," and administrative support. The accreditation covers the 2026-2028 cycle. "I am extremely proud that Denver Health has received NAPBC accreditation from the American College of Surgeons," said Laura Leonard, MD, Director of Quality and Patient Safety and co-director of the Breast Care Center. "This accreditation signifies that our Breast Care Center delivers coordinated, multi-disciplinary that supports timely diagnoses, individualized treatment planning, and continuous quality improvement. For our patients, it means access to nationally recognized standards, integrated care teams, and supportive services such as patient navigation which help guide them through every step of their breast cancer journey. As a safety-net hospital, this achievement carries special meaning. It reinforces our commitment to ensuring that every patient, regardless of circumstance, has access to high-quality, evidence-based breast care close to home. This milestone reflects years of hard work and dedication by our entire multidisciplinary team." "Breast accreditation aligns with all four of our department's vision pillars," said Fredric M. Pieracci, MD, MPH, Chair of Surgery at Denver Health. "It also aligns with the institutional mission to be the most trusted healthcare provider in Colorado. The impact of accreditation as a breast center on quality, patient outcomes, patient experience, and staff experience is well documented. Breast pathology also disproportionately impacts marginalized communities." The accreditation is the result of a broad team effort spanning surgery, medicine, emergency medicine, radiology, pathology and laboratory services, and executive leadership. "We have all been engaged in an ongoing and iterative effort to provide the highest quality of care for patients with breast cancer. The accreditation is a wonderful recognition of the care we are providing and will continue to provide for our patients," said Heather West, MD, Medical Oncologist and co-director of the Breast Care Center.