Karen E. Gibbs, MD, named chair of Surgery at Bridgeport Hospital

BRIDGEPORT, CT (Sept. 10, 2021) – Bridgeport Hospital, part of the Yale New Haven Health, has announced Karen E. Gibbs, MD, as its new chair of Surgery, effective Sept. 1.

Dr. Gibbs joins Bridgeport Hospital from Northwell Health, where she served as the associate chair, Surgery; chief, General, Minimally-Invasive and Bariatric Surgery; director, General Surgery Residency Program and the Advanced Gastroenterological Minimally-Invasive Fellowship; and director, Performance Improvement and Quality at Staten Island University Hospital.

"We are thrilled to have Dr. Gibbs join Bridgeport Hospital and the health system,” said Anne Diamond, JD, DHL, president of Bridgeport Hospital and executive vice president of Yale New Haven Health. “Her expertise and passion are a perfect match for Bridgeport Hospital as the regional leader in Surgical Services.”

Dr. Gibbs succeeds Nabil Atweh, MD, retiring after 30 years at Bridgeport Hospital, the last 20 of which he was chair of Surgery and surgeon-in-chief. "Dr. Gibbs is a skilled surgeon, educator and researcher,” said Nita Ahuja, MD, Yale Medicine Department of Surgery chair.“Moreover, her authenticity and obvious relatability as a connector and team-builder impressed the committee and will reinforce our alignment and ability to grow as an academic health system. We are especially grateful for Dr. Atweh's partnership and the strong foundation he has helped to build."

Dr. Gibbs received a bachelor degree from Boston University, attended Tufts University Medical School and completed her postdoctoral training at Montefiore Medical Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Dr. Gibbs is a fellowship-trained bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon.

Bridgeport Hospital, part of Yale New Haven Health, is a non-profit 501-bed acute care hospital with two campuses (plus 42 beds licensed to Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital). Both Bridgeport Hospital and the Milford Campus of Bridgeport Hospital serve patients throughout Fairfield and New Haven counties. The hospital admits more than 30,000 patients and provides over 600,000 outpatient treatments annually. The Connecticut Burn Center at Bridgeport Hospital is the only burn center in the state and one of only 80 verified burn centers in the United States. Bridgeport Hospital is committed to providing safe, compassionate and cost-efficient care to its patients and the community. It has the prestigious Magnet designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center, the nation’s highest honor of nursing excellence. www.bridgeporthospital.org