H eadlines
Einstein CEO Retires After 18 Years at Helm
L OCA L
SOPHIE PANZER | JE STAFF
Some people retire when they
feel their career has reached
a natural stopping point, but
nothing about 2020 felt natural
for Barry Freedman.

The president and CEO of
Einstein Healthcare Network
was hospitalized twice for
respiratory issues in the past
two years, so he spent a large
part of his last year at Einstein
working from home.

The coronavirus pandemic
has strenuously tested medical
centers like Einstein, but
Freedman said seeing his staff’s
response to the crisis and the
heroism of front-line workers
actually makes him feel better
about his Dec. 31 retirement.

“If I hadn’t seen how well
our team performed during
this pandemic, and if I didn’t
know how great a leadership
team exists there both clini-
cally and administratively, it
would make it hard,” he said.

“But I know the team has such
capability that I don’t worry
about the institution. I can
leave with the comfort that
they will continue to do very
well going forward without
me.” Freedman, 72, has worked
at Einstein for 18 years and in
health care for 49. He was presi-
dent and CEO of the Mount
Sinai Hospital in New York
prior to taking his position at
Einstein. Back then, he never
imagined leaving New York,
but found himself drawn to
Einstein’s mission as well as
Philadelphia’s arts, culture and
community. Looking back on nearly two
decades leading the network,
Freedman is especially proud
of overseeing projects that
represent its mission to serve
communities in need.

One was an early expansion
of the obstetrics department.

Between the late ’90s and 2010,
6 DECEMBER 31, 2020
Barry Freedman
Photo by Wesley Hilton
imagine,” he said.

The board then discovered
an opportunity to acquire a
hospital in Elkins Park less
than five miles from the Broad
Street location, which allowed
them to relocate the rehabilita-
tion program into a much larger
space and expand research
and outpatient services. The
MossRehab facilities now serve
North Philadelphia as well
as patients in Montgomery
County. A third major project
was Einstein’s merger with
Montgomery Hospital Medical
Center. The latter did not have
the ability to expand on its
own, so Einstein acquired the
building and created Einstein
Medical Center Montgomery to
serve the Norristown area and
expand its market presence.

“We thank Barry for his
tireless efforts and strategic
vision over the past two
decades,” said Lawrence
Reichlin, chairman of the
and having everybody buy into
that helped, but I also think
being open and transparent
and being a good listener
helped,” he said. “If you don’t
have a participatory style, I
don’t think you ever get to the
kind of culture that we have at
Einstein, which is, I think, my
most important legacy.”
Einstein’s Board of Trustees
appointed Ken Levitan to
serve as interim CEO when
Freedman departs. Levitan
has worked at Einstein for
more than 13 years, and most
recently served as executive
vice president and chief admin-
istrative officer and as the lead
of the Incident Command
Center during the COVID-19
pandemic. Freedman has promised
himself not to overcommit
during the first six months of
retirement, when he wants to
focus on establishing a regular
workout routine. He also plans
to continue to help the Board of
If I hadn’t seen how well our team performed during this pandemic, and if I didn’t know how
great a leadership team exists there both clinically and administratively, it would make it hard.

But I know the team has such capability that I don’t worry about the institution. I can leave with
the comfort that they will continue to do very well going forward without me.”
BARRY FREEDMAN
hospitals in the region were
losing money, and 17 closed their
obstetrics services as a result.”
“I went to the board and
talked about the implications
of that to a community like
ours, where that is such a vital
service,” he said.

Rather than
closing Einstein’s obstetric services,
the board authorized a $10
million investment to provide
more beds and expand the
capacity of labor and delivery
rooms, particularly for under-
served populations near the
Broad Street location.

He also oversaw the
revamping of Einstein’s
rehabilitation facilities.

“When I arrived in 2003,
one of the first things I discov-
ered was that rehabilitation,
which has national acclaim,
was housed in a facility that,
I would guess there were four
patients in a room, there were
no bathrooms in the room, the
building was 50, 75 years old
at least. And here we had this
superb rehabilitation service
and capability amongst the
worst facilities and terrible
accommodations I could
JEWISH EXPONENT
Board of Trustees and the
Board of Overseers for
Einstein. “His leadership has
been essential to Einstein
realizing its mission and vision
to provide high-quality care
to the communities most in
need.” Freedman, who served
on the boards of the Jewish
Exponent and Congregation
Rodeph Shalom, is happy to
have created a strong culture
at Einstein during his tenure,
one where coworkers feel like
family. “Crystallizing our mission
Trustees at Einstein on special
projects and stay involved with
some national health groups,
including America’s Essential
Hospitals, Health Partners
Plans and the Healthcare
Institute. He wants to give back
by continuing to mentor health
care professionals and organi-
zations in need of guidance.

“I’ve been fortunate and
blessed to have wonderful
positions and to have benefited
from that,” he said. l
spanzer@jewishexponent.com; 215-832-0729
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