Rich Falcone named Chief of Staff
Rich Falcone, MD, MPH, MMM, has been named Cincinnati Children’s Chief of Staff, succeeding Patty Manning, MD, who will step down from the role on June 30. Rich will begin transitioning to his new role immediately, partnering with Patty to ensure a successful transition.
An internationally recognized pediatric trauma surgeon and author of more than 130 publications, Rich’s career has focused on preventing childhood injuries, improving the care of injured children, and improving hospital safety and operations.
“Rich’s innovative focus on improving care, safety and collaboration makes him an ideal Chief of Staff,” said Chief Operating Officer Evie Alessandrini, MD. “Patty has done a remarkable job in this role during some incredibly challenging times, and she is leaving her team in very capable hands.”
Rich joined Cincinnati Children’s in 2004, and is the former director of Trauma Services. He currently has dual roles – vice president of Perioperative Operations and associate chief of staff for Surgical Services. His achievements include:
Creating the Pediatric Trauma Transformation Collaborative to improve pediatric trauma care at traditionally adult trauma programs nationally and internationally.
Creating a culture of one team in Periop that included surgery, operations, anesthesia and patient services – an Operational Excellence model that Cincinnati Children’s is now using in all sites of care.
Improving perioperative safety through clear processes, accountability and a safety culture champion team representing all of Periop. The result: more than three years without a serious safety event in Periop.
Reimagining our Sterile Processing Department, reducing turnover while empowering and strengthening the leadership team.
“Rich is a remarkable leader who has been instrumental in advancing the capabilities of all with whom he has shared his expertise,” said Surgeon-in-Chief Dan von Allmen, MD.
“Rich’s collaborative spirit and focus on continuous improvement will help ensure that we continue to be a leader in innovation and advancement,” said Tina Cheng, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Chair of the Department of Pediatrics and Director of the Research Foundation.
Rich graduated from New York University School of Medicine, did his general surgical training at the University of Cincinnati and then his pediatric surgical fellowship at Cincinnati Children’s. He subsequently went on to receive his master's degree in public health from the Harvard School of Public Health and recently completed his master's degree in medical management from Carnegie Mellon.
Rich has chaired numerous regional and national Pediatric Trauma Committees including the American Pediatric Surgical Association, the Trauma Center Association of America, the Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma and the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma. He is also a Past-President of the Pediatric Trauma Society.
Searches are underway for Rich’s successors as vice president of Perioperative Operations and associate chief of staff for Surgical Services.