By Robert Williamson
Diane P. Kelly, DNP, RN, the President of Greenwich Hospital, has announced her plans to retire at the end of this calendar year, ending a career that spans more than four decades. Kelly has served as the hospital’s president since June 2020 and has been the chief nursing executive for Yale New Haven Health (YNHHS) since 2022.
“During my five years working with Diane, I couldn’t have asked for a better partner,” said Greenwich Hospital Board Chair W. Robert Berkley, Jr. “She led our hospital during the height of COVID, deftly guiding us through some of the most challenging days, yet never lost sight of the clinical growth plan for Greenwich Hospital. Diane’s commitment to bringing new technologies, programs, and physicians to Greenwich has enabled patients to access services not typically available in a community hospital setting. She has set Greenwich Hospital on a trajectory of growth that will continue for generations to come.”
Kelly’s healthcare career began at Berkshire Medical Center, where she advanced from a staff nurse to various clinical and leadership roles, including Psychiatry & Behavioral Health Clinical Leader, Director of Patient Safety, and Vice President of Quality & Safety. She was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in 2008, a position she held until joining Greenwich Hospital a decade later.
“Diane has been a dedicated and passionate leader throughout her career and is widely respected in the hospital and nursing community,” said Christopher O’Connor, CEO of Yale New Haven Health. “Since joining Greenwich Hospital as Chief Operating Officer in 2018, she has made a clear and positive impact on the entire health system. As the Chief Nursing Executive, she ensured that nursing was central to all efforts to enhance safety and quality in the inpatient and outpatient settings.”
Kelly has been a strong advocate for advancing the mission of Greenwich Hospital as a premier academic health system, ensuring the provision of nationally recognized services in the community. Under her leadership, Greenwich Hospital launched its first campaign in 25 years, the $125 million Arc of Care Campaign. She has overseen expansion in several key specialty areas, including neuroscience, cancer care, heart and vascular, urology, psychiatry and behavioral health, pediatrics, and emergency care, with the most recent accomplishment being Greenwich Hospital’s Trauma Level III designation.
“It has been an honor to lead the Greenwich Hospital team and to work in collaboration with extraordinary men and women dedicated to caring for those who trust us with their health care,” said Kelly. “It is a true privilege to have served on the Yale New Haven Health leadership team. I am also tremendously grateful that I have had the opportunity to be part of the Yale New Haven Nursing Division, working alongside the finest nurses I have known in my 40-year career. Health care has been not just a job, but an intrinsic part of who I am.”
Kelly reflected on her decision to retire to the Greenwich Sentinel, stating, “It’s time. I’ve had a 40-year extraordinary career in healthcare, and it just feels like the right time. There is no really one reason. I’ve always thought it was important to make a transition when you really love what you’re doing. I always think it’s important to say I’m feeling good about the things I’ve done, I love coming to work, so it’s a good time. No regrets.”
When asked about her standout accomplishments, Kelly highlighted her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Working through the experience of COVID with patients, employees, coworkers, and the community was extraordinary to me. It was when you saw healthcare come together with a true, combined purpose. It was like nothing else I’d ever done,” she said.
Greenwich Hospital played a crucial role during the pandemic, becoming a focal point for the Yale New Haven Health System. “Greenwich was at that ground zero point in time where we were seeing huge influxes of patients needing really intensive care. It’s where you saw a system come together and transport the services that were needed right here. We had the power of bringing through the expertise of Yale School of Medicine, which added another layer along with the great clinicians we had here,” Kelly explained.
Looking ahead, Kelly expressed confidence in the hospital’s future. “The hospital is in such a strong position. Much of the work I’ve been doing over the last six years has been working closely with Yale New Haven Health System and Yale School of Medicine to bring services here to enhance what was already a great organization. The future is strong because we will continue to build on that,” she said.
Regarding her own future, Kelly said, “I have no definitive plans other than not working full time for the first time in 40 years. I’m really looking forward to spending more time with my growing family. I’m so blessed.”
As Kelly prepares to step down, her tenure is marked by significant advancements and a steadfast commitment to patient care, ensuring that Greenwich Hospital remains a cornerstone of the community for years to come.
