Primary Care Physician, Family Medicine-Integrative Medicine
Chief Medical Information Officer
NYC Health + Hospitals/Gotham Health, Gouverneur

EMR Champion

Dr. Nathaniel Yao, Primary Care Physician at Gotham Health, Gouverneur and Chief Medical Information Officer at Gotham Health, is passionate about treating patients and developing the potential of IT to improve care. A computer whiz since childhood, Dr. Yao uses his IT skills to help colleagues navigate medical databases, and to fine-tune the functionality of electronic medical records. As Gotham Health’s CMIO he works to improve EMR as a critical tool in delivering quality care.

One of his most memorable H + H experiences, Dr. Yao says, was realizing that his teamwork with other providers to substantially improve clunky prescription-writing software boosted their ability to help patients. The city’s public health care teams “do more with less,” he notes. “We deliver that world-class care when we work closer and depend on each other’s strengths.”

Dr. Yao is considered an extraordinary team player, teacher and colleague whose talents and dedication have produced significant improvements benefiting providers and patients. Patients also respond to his caring, easygoing style and professionalism.

Dr. Yao earned his B.S. in Biomedical Science at The Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education at The City College of New York and his M.D. at The School of Medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center.

He was inspired to study medicine by the doctor who treated him and his family members, at very reasonable cost, after they came to the U.S., and who practiced well into his 90s. Dr. Yao, a family practitioner himself, says his patients keep him motivated.

“Being able to take care of families, and experiencing their trust when your patient brings their newborn to you as well as their grandma … is humbling,” he says. “I would not have it any other way.”

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