Latest Press Releases from the Institute for Family Health

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New York, NY (October 7, 2025) – Sarah Nosal, MD, FAAFP, the Institute for Family Health’s Chief Medical Information Officer and Vice President for Innovation and Optimization, yesterday assumed the role of president of the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). The AAFP represents over 128,000 family physicians, residents and medical students nationwide.
“Community has always been at the heart of family medicine. That connection is what makes family medicine so powerful,&#8221; said Dr. Nosal in a statement. “When I think about the care I am providing to my patients, or when I think about the advocacy we are doing on the state and national level&#8230;that’s the place where we are all going to grow. That’s where family physicians are pushing ourselves, in every way, to go a little bit further than where we have been before.”
Dr. Nosal has spent over two decades practicing family medicine in the South Bronx. After graduating from <a href="https://einsteinmed.edu/">Albert Einstein College of Medicine</a>, she completed her residency in Urban Family Practice at Beth Israel Medical Center and the Institute for Family Health. Since then, she has practiced at the Institute for Family Health’s <a href="https://institute.org/health-care/locations/bronx/urban-horizons-family-health-center/">Urban Horizons Family Health Center</a>, consistently achieving top metrics in clinical quality while also assuming various leadership positions. She currently serves as the Institute for Family Health’s Chief Medical Information Officer and the Vice President for Innovation and Optimization.
Under Dr. Nosal’s leadership, the Institute has become a leader in ensuring equitable access to health information technology tools. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Dr. Nosal was instrumental in shaping the Institute’s response, including the roll-out of comprehensive telehealth services. She also currently serves as Co-Medical Director of the <a href="https://institute.org/our-programs/echo-free-clinic/">ECHO Clinic</a>, a long-time collaboration between the Institute and Einstein to provide accessible health care to uninsured individuals while training the next generation of physicians.
“Dr. Nosal is unique in her ability to marry her physician skills and her acumen about what it means to utilize the electronic medical record, and leverage that into how we provide care to patients. She is a unicorn in that respect,” said Dr. Eric Gayle, MD, FAAFP, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health.
A member of the AAFP since 2004, Dr. Nosal has served as chair of the AAFP Commission on Membership and Member Services and chair of the commission’s Special Constituencies Subcommittee. She was also the lead member in the awards discussion of the AAFP Commission on Membership &amp; Membership Services. In 2014, Dr. Nosal served as convener of the National Conference of Special Constituencies. Dr. Nosal’s earliest New York State Academy of Family Physicians (NYSAFP) role was as resident delegate to the NYSAFP Congress of Delegates. She subsequently served on the NYSAFP Board of Directors in numerous roles, including as president of the state academy and most recently as NYSAFP delegate to the AAFP Congress of Delegates.
“Dr. Nosal is dedicated, strong,” said Dr. Tochi Iroku-Malize, MD, MPH, MBA, FAAFP, former president of the AAFP. “Her core being is about ‘How do I make this inequity more balanced?’”
Dr. Nosal is board certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She also holds the AAFP Degree of Fellow, an earned degree awarded to family physicians for distinguished service and continuing medical education.
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The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.

Institute for Family Health Chief Medical Information Officer to Serve as AAFP President

On September 24, Institute President and CEO Dr. Eric Gayle joined leaders in the health and human services sector at an event organized by <a href="https://patryan.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-pat-ryan-leads-speak-out-hudson-valley-health-care-community">Congressman Pat Ryan</a> at the Garnet Health Medical Center in Middletown, NY, to speak about the health of the community. Specifically, the speakers addressed concerns about recent federal legislation that will result in cuts to Medicaid and health insurance premium increases. The event included representatives from a number of health care organizations, unions representing health workers, advocacy groups and others who are working to educate the public about possible changes to their health insurance access.
Dr. Gayle shared the following remarks:
&#8220;As a physician, still seeing patients every week, I ask myself– which of them will lose coverage? Which of them will lose the progress we’ve made in controlling their diabetes and hypertension?  Which of them will lose their lives because they are unable to come back and see us? Because they can’t afford it or are too afraid to come back?”
Read the full story at <a href="https://midhudsonnews.com/2025/09/25/congressman-ryan-speaks-out-on-medicaid-cuts-vote-like-your-life-depends-on-it/">Mid Hudson News</a>.
<figure id="attachment_243590" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243590" style="width: 768px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-243590 size-large" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-768x1024.jpg" alt="" width="768" height="1024" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-768x1024.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-225x300.jpg 225w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-1536x2048.jpg 1536w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Rep-Ryan-Garnet-scaled.jpg 1920w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243590" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Eric Gayle, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health, speaks at Garnet Health Medical Center on September 24, 2025.</figcaption></figure>

The Institute Joins Service Provider Community in Highlighting Impacts of Medicaid and Insurance Coverage Losses

Last week, Good Morning America reported on the <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2838793">BackInAction study</a>, a long-term study that looked at the impact of acupuncture on lower back pain versus pharmaceuticals. The study, which included contributions from Institute researchers and clinicians, worked with 800 participants who were all older adults with chronic lower back pain. Researchers found that patients who received acupuncture had greater reduction in pain than those who just received usual medical care.
<a href="https://www.goodmorningamerica.com/video/125580252">Watch the full video here</a>.

Acupuncture study featured on Good Morning America

New York, NY (May 12, 2025) – Over 200 business and community leaders gathered on May 1, 2025 at the New York Academy of Medicine to celebrate the Institute for Family Health’s 40th Anniversary Gala. This special night featured live music, dinner, and inspiring speeches celebrating the Institute’s 40-year history of providing high-quality affordable health care and workforce training in New York City and the Mid-Hudson Valley.
The presenting sponsor of the 40th Anniversary was the Engelberg Foundation. Additional sponsors included Epic Systems, Healthfirst, Bioreference, Mount Sinai Health System, Imagine360, and NFP, an Aon Company. Dr. Eric Gayle, CEO of the Institute,  who served as the event&#8217;s emcee, emphasized the generosity of the sponsors and attendees.
“We are sincerely grateful to our attendees and sponsors for joining us in celebrating our mission,” said Dr. Gayle. “Everyone deserves access to high quality health care, and these services have and incredible impact on people’s lives. In addition, our training programs ensure that the most compassionate and dedicated medical and nurse practitioner graduates have the preparation they need to serve their communities for a lifetime.”
In addition, the gala honored Dr. Neil Calman, MD, FAAFP, the Institute’s retired CEO and one of its four founders; and Dr. Carmen Renée Green, MD, President and Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine.
Dr. Neil Calman has dedicated his career to improving healthcare access and quality for underserved communities. Since launching the Institute in 1985 with three co-founders, Dr. Calman has grown the organization from a small non-profit with four staff members to one of the largest community health centers in New York State, serving over 100,000 patients annually at 27 locations. His work has consistently focused on addressing health inequities and supporting the next generation of health care providers to be well-prepared to advance the health center mission. His commitment to health centers’ core values, dedication to accessible and high-quality services, and willingness to innovate and grow are unmatched.
Dr. Carmen Renée Green was appointed Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine on October 4, 2021. Located in Harlem, CUNY School of Medicine is home to an accelerated 7-year BS/MD and one of the nation’s oldest public Physician Assistant programs. Under Dr. Green’s leadership, the school leads NY and the nation in producing physicians traditionally under-represented in medicine. Her vision of inclusive excellence focuses on producing doctors New Yorkers need and want to see while being at the forefront of developing strategies to address the social determinants, thereby eliminating inequities in our time. Dr. Green’s recent honors include being named one of Forbes magazine’ 50 over 50 for impact and a Trailblazer in Higher Education.
The Institute is grateful to the many supporters and attendees whose generosity made the event possible.
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The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.
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<figure id="attachment_243342" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243342" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-243342" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize-300x200.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize-768x512.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-161_websize.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243342" class="wp-caption-text">The Institute&#8217;s 40th Anniversary Gala took place at the New York Academy of Medicine on May 1, 2025.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_243336" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243336" style="width: 683px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-243336" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize-683x1024.jpg" alt="" width="683" height="1024" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize-200x300.jpg 200w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-027_websize.jpg 1067w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243336" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Neil Calman (left), the Institute&#8217;s retired CEO, with Dr. Eric Gayle (right), the organization&#8217;s current CEO.</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_243338" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243338" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-243338" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize-1024x683.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize-300x200.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize-768x512.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-110_websize.jpg 1600w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243338" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Eric Gayle (center left) and Dr. Neil Calman (center right) with the Institute&#8217;s Board of Directors</figcaption></figure>
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<figure id="attachment_243340" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243340" style="width: 683px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-243340" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize-683x1024.jpg" alt="" width="683" height="1024" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize-200x300.jpg 200w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/40th-Gala-195_websize.jpg 1067w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243340" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Carmen Renée Green, President and Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine, speaks at the Institute for Family Health&#8217;s 40th Anniversary Gala.</figcaption></figure>
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The Institute for Family Health Celebrates 40th Anniversary Gala

New York, NY (March 17, 2025) – The Institute for Family Health announced today that Dr. Neil Calman, MD, FAAFP, will be retiring after an extraordinary tenure of leadership and innovation that has significantly shaped the organization’s mission, achievements and growth. Beginning in April, Dr. Eric Gayle, MD, FAAFP, the Institute’s president for health care services and chief medical officer, will be the organization’s new CEO.
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<figure id="attachment_243250" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243250" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-243250" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Leadership-transition-e1741971329699-1024x534.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="534" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Leadership-transition-e1741971329699-1024x534.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Leadership-transition-e1741971329699-300x156.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Leadership-transition-e1741971329699-768x400.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Leadership-transition-e1741971329699.jpg 1080w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243250" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Neil Calman, MD, FAAFP (left) has served as the CEO of the Institute for Family Health, which he helped found, since 1985. Beginning in April, Dr. Eric Gayle, MD, FAAFP, (right) the Institute&#8217;s president for health care services and chief medical officer, will be the organization&#8217;s new CEO.</figcaption></figure>
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Dr. Calman has served as the CEO of the Institute for Family Health, which he helped found, since 1985. The organization currently serves over 100,000 patients annually in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Throughout his more than 50-year career, Dr. Calman’s work has consistently focused on removing barriers to health care in communities that have been neglected due to poverty and racism. He pioneered the development of health workforce training programs at Institute health centers, including programs in family medicine, nursing, administration, and behavioral health. He has also led advocacy efforts that advance the community health center model of care, most recently as chair of the Community Health Care Association of New York State (CHCANYS)’s Public Policy Committee.
“It was my great fortune 50 years ago to have first set foot in a community health center in the Bronx, while still in residency. Over the past 50 years in our community health center movement, I have witnessed the profound impact that accessible, quality healthcare can have on people and communities,” said Dr. Calman in a statement to Institute staff. “Dr. Gayle is known for his thoughtful leadership, pragmatic approach, and deep dedication to health equity. I have complete confidence that under Dr. Gayle&#8217;s leadership, the Institute will continue to fulfill our mission and thrive.”
Dr. Eric Gayle first joined the Institute as a family medicine resident. Throughout his nearly 30-year career, he has held a number of progressive leadership roles at the organization. Most recently, he has served as chief medical officer since 2021 and president of health care services since 2023. Dr. Gayle has led a number of far-reaching quality improvement initiatives at the Institute, including a successful effort to eliminate disparities in patients’ health status related to diabetes and hypertension. He has also developed strong partnerships with numerous health organizations, allied health schools, and community organizations who share the Institute’s vision of accessible, affordable health care. Throughout his tenure, he has continued to practice family medicine in the Bronx, where he sees patients at the Institute’s Stevenson Family Health Center.
“We are incredibly fortunate to name Dr. Gayle as our new CEO,” said Ollie Brown-Carrington, chair of the Institute’s Board of Directors. “He has dedicated his life’s work to the Institute’s mission. We look forward to his leadership as we build on our strong foundation to continue advancing community health.”
“I am honored to carry forward Dr. Calman’s proud legacy,” said Dr. Gayle. “The Institute for Family Health improves the lives of thousands of people every day, and we will continue to devote ourselves to our patients and communities. Together with our committed staff, I am eager to expand and strengthen our work in coming years.”
As a federally qualified health center network, the Institute for Family Health serves over 100,000 patients in New York City and the Hudson Valley. Services, including primary care, dental care, mental health and social services, are available to patients of all ages regardless of ability to pay. In addition to providing direct health care, the Institute uses its expertise to provide health workforce training, undertake quality improvement and research to advance community health, and lead community outreach and advocacy efforts. In recognition of its 40th Anniversary this year, the Institute will be hosting a gala event in Manhattan on May 1, 2025. More information is available at <a href="https://one.bidpal.net/institute2025/welcome" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://one.bidpal.net/institute2025/welcome">institute.org/gala</a>.
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The Institute for Family Health is a federally qualified health center network in New York State serving 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.
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The Institute for Family Health Announces Retirement of Founding CEO Dr. Neil Calman and Appointment of Dr. Eric Gayle as New CEO

Bronx, NY (January 30, 2025) The Institute for Family Health’s <a href="https://institute.org/training/family-nurse-practitioner-residency/">Family Nurse Practitioner Residency</a> has received accreditation from the Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers for a full period of three years. The accreditation signifies that the residency program has met national standards for quality and has completed a rigorous ten-month peer review process, including a two-day site visit.
Since 2020, the Family Nurse Practitioner Residency has trained twenty family nurse practitioners, with four slots available to residents every year. Residents complete practical training at two Institute health centers in the Bronx, which leverages the strengths of advanced practice nursing and the community health center model of care to provide a comprehensive training experience in an urban environment. The Institute&#8217;s academic partner for the program is Mercy University, whose expertise was instrumental in the accreditation process. In addition to receiving hands-on clinical experience and didactic training, the nurse practitioner residents complete a number of specialty rotations where they gain additional experience in caring for people experiencing homelessness, integrative medicine, behavioral health and more. The program builds on the Institute’s long history of innovative health workforce development programs, notably its <a href="https://institute.org/training/family-medicine-residencies/">family physician residency</a> programs in Manhattan, the Bronx and Kingston, NY.
“This is an important milestone for the program and a testament to the high-quality training we are providing in the Bronx,” said Dr. Robert Schiller, the Institute’s President for Academic Affairs. “I am proud and honored to count this program amongst our many innovative training initiatives.”
Margaret Walsh, FNP-BC, the director of the Family Nurse Practitioner Residency said, “We are thrilled to receive this recognition. We are training our residents in the most current and evidence-based clinical practices so they are equipped to best meet the care needs of their patients. Our team is grateful to the Institute&#8217;s leadership, staff and administration for helping us make this happen.”
Family nurse practitioners are independently-licensed advanced practice nurses, whose scope of clinical services includes primary care for adults and children of all ages. The Institute has a long history of cultivating nurse practitioner leadership. The organization’s co-founder, Yvonne Eisner, FNP-BC, is a family nurse practitioner who served as a senior clinical advisor in the residency prior to her retirement. Since the Institute’s inception, Institute health centers have been staffed by primary care teams that frequently include family nurse practitioners and family physicians working side-by-side to deliver outstanding care to people of all ages.
If you are interested in applying to the residency, candidates are invited to visit <a href="https://institute.org/training/family-nurse-practitioner-residency/">institute.org/fnpresidency</a> for information on how to apply for the residency position for the 2025-2026 academic year.
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The Institute for Family Health (www.institute.org) is a federally qualified health center network that serves over 100,000 patients annually. Services are available to people of all ages, regardless of ability to pay.
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