Longtime area gastroenterologist Howard P. Fritz, MD, has been named Chief Medical Officer and Vice President of Medical Affairs at Glens Falls Hospital.
Dr. Fritz retired as a partner in Gastroenterology Associates of Northern New York in September 2018 after 29 years with the practice. He succeeds Dr. Robert Pringle who was serving on an interim basis as the hospital conducted a candidate search.
In his new role, Dr. Fritz oversees all clinical operations at the hospital, including adherence to best practices and ensuring overall quality of care; serves as a liaison between the medical staff and administration; and assists in physician recruitment and strategic planning.
“Dr. Fritz is highly respected among the members of our medical community and cares very deeply about making Glens Falls Hospital the best it can possibly be,” said President & CEO Dianne Shugrue. “He has been an advocate for continuous improvement as a practicing member of our medical staff, and is now in an even greater position to lead the way forward from a quality of care standpoint.”
“I believe in the mission,” said Dr. Fritz. “Glens Falls Hospital is a not-for-profit, community based hospital. The Hospital and the healthcare team that works with and within it are committed to providing high-quality care to as many people as possible, as close to home as possible. I can’t imagine this community without the hospital, and I look forward to working with everyone here to ensure that people get the highest quality care from the time they come in the door to the time they are discharged in better health.”
A native of Long Island, Dr. Fritz moved to the Glens Falls area in 1989 to join Dr. Kevin Herlihy at Gastroenterology Associates of Northern New York. Over the next 30 years he was instrumental in the growth of the practice, including the opening of a Wilton, NY office and the establishment of a freestanding gastroenterology center in Glens Falls.
Dr. Fritz earned his bachelor’s degree from St. John’s University, his master’s degree from St. Louis University and his medical degree from the St. Louis University School of Medicine. He completed his residency in internal medicine at the University of Rochester, and his fellowship in gastroenterology at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine.