Healthcare Technology Executive Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP, Joins Hospital for Special Surgery as Chief Innovation Officer and Senior Vice President of Innovation and Business Development

New York, NY—February 4, 2016

Healthcare technology pathfinder Leonard Achan, RN, MA, ANP, has been appointed Chief Innovation Officer, and Senior Vice President of Innovation and Business Development, at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) in New York City. The announcement was made today by Louis A. Shapiro, HSS President and CEO.

"I am honored to join the HSS family to help build upon their global reputation as a leader in healthcare delivery, innovation and performance," said Mr. Achan. "The commitment of HSS to their patients, physicians, employees as well as the global community is the perfect foundation to cultivate innovation to bring ideas to the market and maximize the deep knowledge and expertise of this enterprise to continue to create value."

Mr. Achan's innovative and creative experience spans his career as a visionary healthcare executive, co-founder of companies such as Quality Reviews Inc.'s Rate My Hospital as well as his prominence as a street artist. He comes to HSS from Mount Sinai Health System where he was the Chief Communications Officer, Chief of Access Services and Senior Associate Dean for Global Communications, Branding and Reputation at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. In addition, he is well acquainted with identifying healthcare opportunities and creating innovative solutions to fix complex healthcare problems as well as executing the commercialization of new medical technologies.

"Leonard brings over 15 years of experience pioneering, developing and executing business entities that has driven volume, revenue and brand awareness for the enterprise," said Mr. Shapiro. His appointment is evidence that innovation will be an even more important ingredient to HSS' future."

He began his medical career as a nurse and holds medical degrees from Adelphi University (BSN) and NYU (MA and adult Acute Care Nurse Practitioner degree) and is also a fellow and alumnus of the Wharton School of Business. Additionally, he received post-master’s degrees from Rutgers and Villanova Universities and is currently completing his doctorate at Middlesex University.

Mr. Achan will lead the HSS Innovation Center and its broader initiatives to cultivate and capitalize on the culture of innovation and business development that has long been a defining characteristic of HSS. His new role is effective February 22, 2016.