Paolinelli appointed chief executive officer of hospital
For The Madera Tribune
Karen Paolinelli, registered nurse, physician assistant and family nurse practitioner, has been appointed chief executive officer of Madera Community Hospital.
Karen Paolinelli, registered nurse, physician assistant and family nurse practitioner, has been appointed chief executive officer of Madera Community Hospital.
“Karen’s appointment is a clear reflection of the Trustee’s commitment to continued transformation of our healthcare system,” said Stell Manfredi, chair of the Madera Community Hospital Board of Trustees. “Her passion for clinical and service excellence, as well as her ability to execute high-level initiatives, ensures our hospital’s chief executive is aligned with the Trustee’s commitment to providing quality healthcare for the communities we serve.”
Paolinelli has served as interim chief executive officer since November 2017.
She began her career with Madera Community Hospital more than 35 years ago as a nursing aid. She continued her education, earning physician assistant and family nurse practitioner credentials, and in 1992 was instrumental in developing the hospital’s rural health clinic system, Family Health Services. In 2014, Paolinelli was appointed as the Chief Operating Officer (COO) for Madera Community Hospital. In addition to overseeing Family Health Services and Chowchilla Medical Center, as COO Karen led the Laboratory, Radiology, Case Management, Admitting and Scheduling Departments.
“Karen’s extensive clinical experience, from launching Madera’s first Emergency Department Fast Track, serving as a bedside nurse in the Intensive Care Unit and her continued work as a mid-level provider for orthopedics, frames her ability to foster a culture of compassion with a commitment to clinical quality,” said Manfredi. “Karen’s leadership established the Medical Specialty Clinic, RapidCare and the Family Nurse Practitioner — Clinical Residency Education Model with Fresno Pacific University. The adoption of centralized scheduling and ongoing increases in outpatient service utilization are additional results of Karen’s commitment to operational efficiency.”
“I am humbled by the confidence our Trustees have in my leadership,” said Paolinelli. “I love this hospital, I love what we do, and the breadth and the diversity of all the people we serve. I am thrilled with the opportunity to infuse my passion for clinical and service excellence into our corporate culture while guiding the growth and expansion of vital healthcare services in Madera.”
Paolinelli earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from California State University, Fresno, and her Physician Assistant and Family Nurse Practitioner credentials from University of California, Davis. She maintains provider privileges at Madera Community Hospital, credentialed for outpatient care and first assistant in surgery.
