Dr. Suzanne Forde of NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County Named Honoree for 2025 United Hospital Fund Excellence in Health Care Award
Award recognizes Dr. Forde’s leadership, compassion, and lasting contributions to surgical patient care across multiple specialties at Kings County Hospital Dr. Forde is the only recipient from the NYC Health + Hospitals system to receive this distinction this year
Apr 16, 2025
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County today announced that Suzanne Forde, DMSc, MPH, PA-C, Senior Surgical Physician Assistant and Quality Lead for the Department of Surgery, has been named a 2025 United Hospital Fund (UHF) Excellence in Health Care Award honoree. Dr. Forde is the only recipient from the NYC Health + Hospitals system to receive this distinction this year. Dr. Forde was recognized for her exemplary leadership and hands-on dedication to advancing surgical quality, strengthening patient safety, and elevating the overall experience of those entrusted to the care of Kings County Hospital.
The UHF Excellence in Health Care Awards recognize outstanding healthcare professionals who demonstrate exceptional leadership in advancing quality of care, patient safety, and the patient experience. Honorees are selected from 71 hospital systems, long-term care facilities, home care organizations, and independent practice associations across the greater New York metropolitan area.
“Dr. Forde’s recognition is not only a personal achievement but a proud moment for the entire Kings County family,” said Sheldon McLeod, Chief Executive Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “Her work continues to raise the bar for what excellence in health care looks like, not just here at Kings County, but across NYC Health + Hospitals.”
“Patients deserve to be heard and treated with dignity,” said Dr. Suzanne Forde, DMSc, MPH, PA-C, Senior Surgical Physician Assistant and Quality Lead for the Department of Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “My motto, ‘Ever kind,’ reflects the compassion, patience, and forgiveness I strive to embody every day. To be in the service of mankind is both a duty and a privilege.”
“Ms. Forde exceeds expectations in every aspect of her work as a physician assistant, and her dedication to patient care is second to none,” said Dr. Melvin Stone, Chief of Surgery at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “In sum, Ms. Forde’s work is the standard all healthcare providers—doctor, nurse, and PA—should aim for if they are committed to delivering high-quality care to our patients.”
“I am very proud that Dr. Forde is being honored with the United Hospital Fund’s 2025 Excellence in Health Care Award,” said Dr. Jinel Scott, Chief Quality Officer at NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County. “Her unwavering commitment to excellent, high-quality, compassionate care truly exemplifies what it means to serve our patients and community with integrity and heart. Her contributions have made a lasting difference here at Kings and beyond.”
For more than a decade, Dr. Forde has played an integral role in surgical care at Kings County Hospital, contributing across multiple specialties, including general surgery, vascular surgery, colorectal surgery, and surgical oncology. Her patient-centered approach, deep compassion, and steadfast advocacy have made her a consistent source of support through every stage of her patients’ surgical journeys, from preparation to recovery.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Alexis Davis, NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County
NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County is a 639-bed acute care teaching hospital located in Central Brooklyn. Among our highly specialized programs are a Level I Trauma Center, Pediatric Emergency Room, Level 3 Perinatal Center, Heart Health Center, Stroke Center, Sickle Cell Program, Behavioral Health Center, and Diabetes Education Center of Excellence. Many of our programs have received national recognition, including our cardiac, stroke, and diabetes services. The hospital offers a broad array of primary and specialty care, including practices in neuroscience, orthopedics, urology and cardiology. Annually, our ambulatory care practices see well over 500,000 visits and more than 150,000 visits in the Behavioral Health outpatient program, in addition to close to 23,000 inpatient discharges. NYC Health + Hospitals/Kings County has played a major role in providing health care to vulnerable populations in Brooklyn since 1831 and is part of NYC Health + Hospitals, the largest public health care system in the nation. For more information, visit nychealthandhospitals.org/kings county and stay connected on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/KingsCountyHosp or X at @KingsCountyHosp.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation, serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlus health plan—all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.
