Get to Know Your Hospital Board Members - Richard Siegel

By Matthew Avitabile

MARGARETVILLE — Richard Siegel is the current vice chair of the Margaretville Hospital Board and has been on the board for two years. He filled the position when Dave Rama stepped down as vice chair and recommended him for it several months ago.

Siegel said that “healthcare has been my life.” Since 1979 he’s had a Master’s of Social Work (MSW), and is a licensed LCSW, a licensed clinical social worker.

He jokes that being a social worker has been his life’s work as well as his job.

Siegel is partially retired and until three years ago was the Director of Social Work at Metropolitan Hospital on the Upper East Side. His family bought a house in the area in 1986 and spent weekends and vacations up here since then. He now splits time between the City and Upstate. He is currently an Adjunct Professor teaching MSW students at Hunter College (Silberman School of Social Work).

Siegel was asked by Emilie Adams to join the board, accepting to advocate “for the needs for the community,” which is “really a passion of mine.”

During his time at Metropolitan, he and the team often had to advocate for the residents of East Harlem.

Siegel has been especially active in advocating for Margaretville Hospital “to meet the real needs of this community.” This includes the board advocating “passionately” for the expansion of primary care. The board is “very excited” for the hire of two new primary care practitioners that will be seeing patients in the next several months.

The board has also pushed for the renovation of the Palen Building, which is likely to occur next year. “With our pushing, the WMC system is actively seeking funds to support that renovation,” he said.

Siegel credits the board for multiple efforts, including former member Jim Howie and Board Chair Emilie Adams on the helipad, which will break ground soon.

He chairs the quality committee, as well as the marketing committee. The latter was recently created so that the community knows about the good things at the hospital.

Siegel said that his background includes “knowing the nitty-gritty of taking theory” and transforming it into policy to make sense for staff and patients.

“How do you implement that in a way that meets the needs of the community and the staff is satisfied— doing it happily?”

He added that the board as a whole is collaborating with the administration to address staff satisfaction, especially, Colleen Martin and Diana Mason.

“That’s the wonderful thing about this board,” he said. “All of us fit certain niches.”

The board members have worked on a number of public outreach efforts, including this column series and getting people to be interviewed on Diana Mason’s radio program.

Siegel said that he brings a “different way of advocating for the needs of the community.”

He said that the WMC leadership is continuing to be interactive and hear any concerns about the Hospital.

“Call my office,” is WMC Executive Director Michael Hochman’s mantra when folks have an issue. Health Alliance’s Elissa Chessari and Hochman have both been “very responsive” to the community’s needs, said Siegel. Both are committed to collaborating with the board, the elected officials and the community to make things better. We all are receptive to hearing what people have to say. Constructive suggestions are always welcome.

Siegel said that the board and administration are prioritizing primary care and agrees on the long-range goal of having a walk-in clinic. However, change takes time. Just know we are moving forward.