Though Edward Lynch, Jr. is a lifelong resident of the Rockaways, it wasn’t until four years ago that his relationship with St. John’s Episcopal Hospital took a more personal path. That was when a family member needed hospitalization and Ed witnessed firsthand, the attentive and caring staff, and medical expertise at St. John’s.

Ed, who spent most of his career on Wall Street in financial services, during which time he was a member of the Board of Governors on the New York Stock Exchange and served as head of Risk Management at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey, became more aware of St. John’s significance in the community during the hospital’s Plantree Certification process. Plantree is a nonprofit healthcare leader involved in setting the global standard for person-centered excellence in care. As part of the certification process, Ed was asked to review and edit interviews conducted with a diverse range of patients. Through this work, he saw evidence of the changing demographics of the Rockaways, how the community has grown, and how St. John’s has stepped up to grow along with the community. In 2021, Plantree awarded St. John’s the Silver Certification for Excellence in Person-Centered Care.

Shortly before January 2023, Ed accepted an invitation to join the Advisory Committee of the St. John’s ICARE Foundation. The Foundation, established in 2021, benefits and supports the charitable and educational activities of Episcopal Health Services, Inc. (EHS). He believes the Foundation, in coordination with EHS, is “doing a great job at marketing and getting the word out to the community. They’re letting the community know what services the hospital has, what they do, and in my opinion, it’s just a matter of continuing to drive the messages.”

Ed is impressed with the efforts the ICARE Foundation and St. John’s apply toward utilizing social media regarding information, events, and the hospital’s community connection. Beyond healthcare services, Ed found it interesting to see campaigns for backpack donations and the holiday toy drive. Reflecting on the backpacks that are distributed at the ICARE Foundation’s Community and Back-to-School Wellness event in August, he says, “Something someone may not think about, backpacks. Probably assume a parent has the means to buy the backpack and all the supplies needed to fill it. Many people don’t think about it, they just buy the backpacks and school supplies for their kids, no big deal, but for other people it is a big deal.” Ed feels strongly about the importance of being part of initiatives such as these, and other services that address a wide range of community needs.

To build upon the hospital’s achievements and to ensure sustainability going forward, Ed would like to see more work toward recruitment and retention of highly credentialed, recognized healthcare providers. He feels that this is a logical next step given St. John’s measurable successes and commitment to continued growth. Ed sees the potential for St. John’s recognition as a world-class healthcare organization.