Dr. Mimi Novello has joined MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital as its president and chief medical officer. With a strong record of dedication to patient safety and an eye toward innovation, Novello took the helm of MedStar St. Mary’s in late January upon the retirement of Christine R. Wray.
Novello comes to Leonardtown after a successful and diverse 22-year career at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center in Baltimore. She served there in numerous leadership positions, most recently as vice president of medical affairs and chief medical officer from 2017 to 2021.
During her tenure at MedStar Franklin Square, Novello oversaw quality, safety and risk management, clinical process improvement, programmatic growth, physician strategic development, graduate medical education and continuing medical education, and medical staff relations for MedStar Franklin Square. As the chief medical information officer, she managed the implementation of applications including MedConnect, MedStar Health’s electronic health record. Novello is also board certified in emergency medicine and was an attending physician in the hospital’s emergency department.
“Health care is such an exciting, challenging field. No two days are identical, and the ability to positively impact someone’s life is what drew me to this path,” Novello said in a release. “Throughout my career, I have sought opportunities to expand my knowledge and capacity to help others. It’s been an honor to join MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital and see firsthand the many ways in which our team members consistently make a difference through quality, safe patient care.”
A graduate of Georgetown University and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Mo., Novello is a native of Bethesda with familial roots in Southern Maryland; her beloved grandmother was born and raised in Hughesville, where Novello often came to visit.
After completing her internship at Rhode Island Hospital and her residency at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, she felt a pull to return to Maryland. While working in Baltimore, she became a member of the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American College of Physician Executives and the American College of Healthcare Executives.
Novello currently serves as co-chair of the MedStar Health Capacity and Throughput Task Force, as well as the Catholic Charities of Central Maryland Board of Directors. She has recently joined the American Hospital Association Region Three Policy Board as a physician representative and is a member of the Southern Maryland Navy Alliance and board, Chesapeake Potomac Healthcare Alliance Board of Directors and Chesapeake Potomac Home Health Alliance.
Novello has been involved in numerous committees, previously serving as a member of Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients Clinical Advisory Group, the Maryland State Telemedicine Clinical Advisory Group task force, the MedStar corporate informatics governance and workgroup committees, co-chair of MedStar Franklin Square’s Informatics Governance Committee and Meaningful Use Committee, and MedStar Franklin Square physician chair of MedStar Health’s High Reliability Organization Implementation Program.
“Since arriving at MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, the expertise and dedication of the team have truly impressed me,” Novello said. “This is clearly a group of people who care deeply about their patients, our hospital, and the county. I look forward to working closely with them and the St. Mary’s community as we grow and partner together in good health.”