STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Richmond University Medical Center (RUMC) announced the promotion of its Associate Chief of Cardiology, Dr. Francesco Rotatori, to head its cardiology department.
Rotatori -- who is board certified in internal medicine, nuclear cardiology, echocardiography, cardiovascular disease and interventional cardiology – will lead RUMC’s expanding cardiology department as chief, the hospital said.
In his previous role, Rotatori aided in the creation of RUMC’s Congestive Heart Failure Clinic by supporting the day-to-day operations of the cardiac catherization laboratory and the cardiac ambulatory service.
Rotatori has also provided care across the borough through the Richmond University Cardiology Faculty Practice.
In addition, he is also a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and has served as a clinical instructor in the SUNY/Downstate cardiology fellowship program. He will continue to serve as the site director of the hospital’s newly-added Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Rotation.
RUMC President and CEO Daniel Messina said Staten Island is lucky to have Rotatori.
“His expertise, compassion, dedication, bedside manner and the care he provides to each of his patients makes him a true role model,” Messina said.
Rotatori led the team who cared for Staten Islander Edwina Cain when she arrived at RUMC on April 3. Cain tested positive for COVID-19 and was immediately placed on a ventilator.
Cain, 38, was removed from the ventilator and began breathing on her own days later. Eight days after she arrived at the hospital she was released – she was the hospital’s 143rd COVID-19 discharge.
She was so grateful to the RUMC staff that she arranged for a special thank you on a follow-up visit.
Cain had her vocalist niece provide entertainment, and brought an array of sandwiches, burgers, fries and bottles of water to distribute among hospital officials, doctors, nurses and other health care workers.
She gave a special thanks to Rotatori, who was still following her case and communicating with Cain’s personal physician.
Rotatori completed medical school in Milan in 2001 and followed with a post-graduate specialty study in cardiovascular disease. He completed his internal medicine residency at RUMC in 2010 while serving as chief resident.
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