Greene, Lehrach honored by HARI

Stephen Greene, chairman of the Westerly Hospital Board of Directors, and Dr. Chris Lehrach, executive director of network development for the Eastern Connecticut and Rhode Island Division of Yale New Haven Health, were honored recently at the annual meeting of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island (HARI).

Greene received the Benjamin R. Sturges Distinguished Service Award, and Dr. Lehrach received the American Hospital Association’s Grassroots Champion Award.

More than a dozen Lawrence + Memorial and Westerly Hospital representatives attended the meeting, held last month at the Providence Marriott, including Patrick L. Green, president and CEO of L+M Healthcare.

Steve Greene has served as chair of the Board of Directors at Westerly Hospital for the past four years. HARI’s Distinguished Service Award is bestowed in honor of Benjamin Sturges, a community leader who devoted his life to healthcare and improving the community.

“Steve’s steady, hands-on involvement was instrumental in the L+M acquisition of Westerly Hospital four years ago, and his steady leadership carried over to L+M’s affiliation with Yale New Haven Health, when he understood, embraced and advocated for the benefit of our partnership,” Patrick Green said.

Dr. Lehrach, who has been an Emergency Department physician at Westerly Hospital for many years, received the Grassroots Champion Award for his work in effectively educating elected officials on how major issues affect hospitals’ vital role in the community.

Patrick Green noted that Dr. Lehrach did “an exemplary job in broadening the base of community support for hospitals, and advocating tirelessly for hospitals and patients” during his two years as chairman of the HARI Board of Directors, from 2015 to 2017.