Latest Press Releases from the Institute for Family Health

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New York, NY (November 1, 2025) &#8211; The Institute for Family Health today named Dr. Alba Pumarol, MD, as Chief Medical Officer. Having worked at the Institute for Family Health for over two decades, she brings a wealth of experience and dedication to her new role.
Dr. Pumarol attended medical school at Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña in the Dominican Republic and completed her residency in family practice at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center, where she served as Chief Resident during her final year. She joined the Institute as a family medicine physician in 2004, serving primarily in the Bronx. In 2012, she became the Medical Director of the Stevenson Family Health Center, and in 2020, was named the Institute’s Regional Medical Director for the Bronx. She also serves as a Senior Clinical Advisor for the Institute’s Family Nurse Practitioner Residency, through which she supports the training of four new nurse practitioners annually.
“Dr. Pumarol is deeply committed to delivering approachable, accessible, and high-quality care to all patients,” said Dr. Eric Gayle, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health. “Her vision emphasizes operational excellence, compassionate care, and the creation of clinical environments where patients, providers, and all staff can thrive. We look forward to her continued leadership and the positive impact she will bring to our organization and the communities we serve.”
“In my new role as Chief Medical Officer, I remined committed to elevating our standards of care and building a trusted compassionate environment,” said Dr. Alba Pumarol. “Together with our exceptional providers, we will lead with purpose, strengthen our practice and drive the meaningful changes our patients deserve.”
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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.

Dr. Alba Pumarol Named Chief Medical Officer

On October 31, Institute President and CEO Dr. Eric Gayle joined leaders in the health and human services sector at a roundtable discussion in the Bronx, organized by New York State Senator Gustavo Rivera, Chair of the Senate Health Committee. The group convened to hear from community health leaders, who discussed for the impact of recent federal legislation and plans for sustaining safety-net health care services.
Several elected officials attended, including State Senator Nathalia Fernandez, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, State Assemblymember George Alvarez, and staff from the office of Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. The Community Health Center Association of New York State (CHCANYS) was also present, along with Bronx health centers VIP Community Services, Callen-Lorde Community Health Center, Sun River Health, Union Community Health Center; Morris Heights Health Center; and Urban Health Plan, Inc. Hospitals and health care trade associations also joined the discussion.
We look forward to collaborating with our elected officials and peers to ensure the health of our Bronx community!
<figure id="attachment_243701" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243701" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-243701 size-large" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025-1024x504.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="504" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025-1024x504.jpg 1024w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025-300x148.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025-768x378.jpg 768w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025-1536x756.jpg 1536w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/Bronx-roundtable-2025.jpg 2048w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243701" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Eric Gayle (far left), President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health, with health care leaders and elected officials in the Bronx. Photo courtesy of CHCANYS.</figcaption></figure>

The Institute joins roundtable discussion with elected officials, providers and leaders in the Bronx

On October 27, Institute President and CEO Dr. Eric Gayle joined leaders in the health and human services sector at a town hall event organized by Governor Kathy Hochul at Casabe Houses in East Harlem, New York City, to discuss the health of the community. Congressman Adriano Espaillat was also in attendance, as well as leaders from the Community Health Center Association of New York State (CHCANYS) and leaders from <a href="https://www.boriken.org/">Boriken Neighborhood Health Center</a>, <a href="https://www.housingworks.org/">Housing Works</a>, <a href="https://settlementhealth.org/">Settlement Health</a>, and <a href="https://www.vipservices.org/">VIP Community Services</a>.
Read the full press release from the event <a href="https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/video-audio-photos-rush-transcript-governor-hochul-holds-rally-new-yorkers-impacted-republican">here</a>.
<figure id="attachment_243659" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-243659" style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="wp-image-243659 size-full" src="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/54883950969_cab0da9850_c.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="510" srcset="https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/54883950969_cab0da9850_c.jpg 800w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/54883950969_cab0da9850_c-300x191.jpg 300w, https://institutebacke.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/54883950969_cab0da9850_c-768x490.jpg 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px" /><figcaption id="caption-attachment-243659" class="wp-caption-text">Dr. Eric Gayle, President and CEO of the Institute for Family Health (third row, center) joined a town hall event in East Harlem, New York City, with Governor Kathy Hochul, Congressman Adriano Espaillat, and other leaders from local community health centers.</figcaption></figure>

The Institute Joins Town Hall With Governor Hochul

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.
Updated October 9, 2025: Read Dr. Sarah Nosal&#8217;s <a href="https://www.aafp.org/news/blogs/aafp-voices/sarah-nosal-inaugural-address.html">inaugural speech</a> and watch the <a href="https://www.aafp.org/about/meet-our-leadership/presidents-corner.html">AAFP&#8217;s video</a> about her.

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>.

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