In his role as executive vice president and COO of UR Thompson Health, Mr. Koczent leads 1,900 employees. He began his career in healthcare as a nurse’s aide, lending him firsthand clinical experience, and subsequently took on roles with progressive responsibility. Now, as COO of a 113-bed community hospital, he implements quality initiatives, guides safety huddles, conducts rounds, leads recruitment and retention efforts, and prompts team members to think about ways to improve and meet goals. The role places an emphasis on clinical quality, with Mr. Koczent leading the development of nine centers of excellence. Under his leadership over the past decade, the health system has gone from seeing 25,000 annual visits to 150,000 and has expanded its primary care locations. He is directly responsible for the recruitment and retention of the largest primary care group in the Finger Lakes region.
