Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home staff member, Margaret “Maggie” Rowley, care coordination manager, was awarded the prestigious “Rural Health Champion of the Year Award” October 24. The award was presented by Executive Director of Delivery System Reform Incentive Payment (DSRIP) and the Fulton Population Health Network (FPN), Nancy Gildersleeve, and Littauer’s Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoff Peck.

Executive Director of DSRIP at Adirondack Health Institute, Nancy Gildersleeve (left), Littauer’s Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of the Nathan Littauer Foundation, Geoff Peck (right), present the Rural Health Champion Award to Care Coordination Manager of Littauer, Maggie Rowley (middle)

“I am honored and humbled,” Maggie reflects. “The credit for the award not only goes to me, but to all Nathan Littauer staff. It is a collective effort.”

To qualify for the Rural Health Champion of the Year Award, recipients must demonstrate a great amount of dedication and exceptional healthcare service to the community. Nathan Littauer Hospital & Nursing Home is proud to have distinguished three Rural Health Champions. Maggie has been an employee of Littauer for nearly three years.

“Together as a hospital, we’ve really embraced the needs of the community,” Maggie continues. “My family and friends come to Littauer. It’s very personal, and we want the community to know that we’re here to help. We work very closely with other organizations and providers in the community and our joint efforts are paramount in making a better experience for the patient.”

“Maggie has done an outstanding job by leading a team of discharge planners, community navigators, and others to reduce overutilization of the emergency room and hospital services by a challenged population,” says Dr. Frederick Goldberg, Chief Medical Officer of Littauer. “She is highly deserving of this award. These patients are among the most vulnerable that we serve. These patients struggle with navigating the healthcare system to manage their illnesses. Maggie leads by example by actively listening to the struggles and concerns of these patients with sincere empathy. Thanks to Maggie’s leadership and the efforts of her team; utilization of our emergency room by this population has been reduced by over 30 percent over the past two years.”

“She has played a crucial role in community-based care navigation and direct patient intervention,” agrees Geoff Peck, Vice President of Population Health and Executive Director of Nathan Littauer’s Foundation. “We’re very proud to have her as part of our staff.”

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About Nathan Littauer

Nathan Littauer Hospital and Nursing Home is a full-service, 74 bed acute care hospital with an 84 bed skilled nursing home. Since 1894, Nathan Littauer has provided safe, high-quality health and wellness services with a focus on securing appropriate new technologies for people residing in Upstate New York. Over the years, the hospital has expanded its services in order to offer health care that is comprehensive, accessible, and relevant to the needs of the communities they serve.  More information can be found by visiting www.nlh.org.