Gaylord Specialty Healthcare Appoints Michael Ivy, MD, FACS, FCCM, as Chief Medical Officer

WALLINGFORD, CONNECTICUT, March 7, 2024 — Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, one of the nation’s leading rehabilitation-focused healthcare systems, today announced the appointment of Michael Ivy, MD, FACS, FCCM, as Chief Medical Officer. Ivy succeeds retiring Chief Medical Officer Stephen Holland, MD.

With more than 20 years of experience and a well-established record of enhancing patient outcomes and healthcare worker engagement and wellness, Ivy will spearhead Gaylord’s mission of providing care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to the most advanced state of recovery possible.

Before joining Gaylord Specialty Healthcare, Ivy held several leadership roles within Yale-New Haven Health, most recently as Deputy Chief Medical Officer where he led the response of the system’s Chief Medical Officers to the COVID-19 pandemic and led efforts to improve physician and front-line engagement and leadership development.

A graduate of Washington University and the UConn School of Medicine, Ivy completed his residency in general surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego. He is board-certified in general surgery and surgical critical care.

Ivy was honored as the Greater Bridgeport Medical Association Physician of the Year in 2021, was a three-year winner of the C. Elton Cahow Award for Outstanding Faculty Teaching from Yale Department of Surgery, and won the Melville G. Magida Award for Outstanding Physician under 40 from the Fairfield County Medical Association. He currently serves on the board of HAVEN.

“Gaylord’s reputation is very well-deserved. During my early career as a trauma surgeon, I regularly referred patients to Gaylord Hospital because I saw so many make remarkable recoveries there,” he explained.

“Gaylord is such a critical part of our state’s healthcare system, and all of the acute care hospitals across Connecticut appreciate the value and quality it brings to our community. I look forward to helping lead with the great team at Gaylord.”

“Mike is a wonderful addition to our leadership team,” said Sonja LaBarbera, President and Chief Executive Officer. 

“He is a dynamic leader whose patient-first mindset closely aligns with Gaylord’s values. Mike will be a driving force in helping Gaylord continue to solidify our position as a national leader in medical rehabilitation.” 

Ivy resides in Guilford with his wife Alice and has four children.

About Gaylord Specialty Healthcare:
Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is a rehabilitation-focused, nonprofit health system headquartered in Wallingford, Connecticut, that provides inpatient and outpatient care for people at every point in their journey from illness or injury to maximum recovery.

Gaylord Specialty Healthcare is anchored by Gaylord Hospital, a long-term acute care hospital, and includes Gaylord Outpatient Services and Gaylord Physical Therapy for patients who require diagnosis and treatment on an outpatient basis. Gaylord's Milne Institute for Healthcare Innovation is a hub for accelerating world-class rehabilitative research, technology development and innovation to improve the quality of life and function of people around the world. Together, these entities deliver a complete continuum of rehabilitative care driven by clinical experience, innovation and human compassion.

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