Executive Notes

Dan DeBarba
Executive Vice President, WCHN and President of the Hospital Group

This is an exciting time of great change and opportunity for everyone at Western Connecticut Health Network. Several years in the making, this affiliation is one of the most important milestones in each of our hospital’s histories. For patients, our new network provides easier, more convenient access to primary, surgical and specialty care than any of our hospitals offered alone. For physicians, it’s an opportunity to transform the way we deliver care, leveraging our medical expertise, best practices and clinical innovations across the care continuum.

Norwalk Hospital chose to affiliate with Western Connecticut Health Network to ensure that we could continue providing high-quality, patient-centered care. Several years ago, our Board of Trustees assessed what was best for our community at that time as well as in the future. Coming from a position of strength, we sought a partner who shared our values and an unwavering commitment to community, exceptional patient care and clinical excellence. After a thorough search, we found that Western Connecticut Health Network was the perfect fit to align with us. Now that we are officially one organization, we look forward to redefining what a health care organization can offer to our communities.

As the former President and CEO of Norwalk Hospital, I have now assumed the role of Executive Vice President of the Network and President of the Hospital Group, which includes oversight of human resources, medical affairs, nursing, operations and quality across all three hospitals. As President, I will ensure we have the most talented physicians, nurses and staff, finest facilities and safest hospital operations to continually enhance patient care. As we expand our physician network, we will work hard to ensure that all physicians share a sense of pride in our new network, that the new organization is a great place to practice and refer patients to for care. I look forward to this next chapter in our history, and I’m confident we will continue to excel as we transform what “health care” means together.

DeBarba joined Norwalk Hospital as Chief Financial Officer in 2007, was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2009, and appointed President and Chief Executive Officer in 2010. Prior to Norwalk Hospital, his career included leadership roles at Saint Mary's Hospital, Yale-New Haven Health System, PricewaterhouseCoopers and Milford Hospital. He lives in Orange, CT with his wife Lynn and three children.