Mr. Firster was part of the 624th Forward Surgical Team, OB Fenty in the Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan. After his deployment, Mr. Firster returned to work at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Hamot in Erie, Pa.
“Wearing this uniform and serving with others that do the same is truly an honor and a privilege,” Mr. Firster wrote in a note to his clinical colleagues. “I just wanted to send a token of my appreciation to all of you. Will be home soon.”
Mr. Firster shared a certificate to represent the flag flown in honor of NAPA, which is now hanging in the reception area of NAPA’s headquarters in Melville, N.Y. “The entire organization is thrilled and humbled by this recognition,” said John Di Capua, MD, CEO of NAPA. “To have the American flag fly in NAPA’s honor while [Mr.] Firster was serving his country during combat operations in Afghanistan is an inspiration to all of us.”
More articles on leadership and management:
FAH supports Alex Azar for HHS secretary
Incoming NYC Health + Hospitals CEO to shift focus toward primary care: 4 takeaways
5 drug and alcohol counselors laid off at Chicago hospital
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.