New York hospital appoints OB-GYN chief

Wendy Wilcox, MD, a prominent maternal mortality expert, has been selected to serve as chief of obstetrics and gynecology at NYC Health + Hospitals/Woodhull in New York City’s Brooklyn borough. 

Dr. Wilcox has worked in a variety of clinical leadership roles during her 15 years with the nation’s largest public health system, according to an Aug. 18 news release shared with Becker’s. In 2021, she was named as the system’s inaugural chief women’s health, a position she will maintain in addition to serving as OB-GYN chief at Woodhull. 

In her expanded role, Dr. Wilcox will oversee expansion of the hospital’s labor and delivering services. Woodhull Hospital’s OB-GYN department is undergoing renovations that will include a new labor unit, OR suite, post-anesthesia care unit and birthing center.

“Wendy’s work in the system will be essential as we move forward with several projects in our OB-GYN department, including achieving national certification and adopting a new fetal monitoring system,” Sandra Sneed, the hospital’s CEO, said in a statement. “In her new role she will also serve as mentor, attending and chief for several of our providers on staff.”

Dr. Wilcox serves on numerous state boards and task forces focused on reducing maternal mortality rates. She is co-chair of the New York State Maternal Mortality Review Board, where she evaluates the health records of every woman across the state who dies within a year of being pregnant and issues recommendations to the state health department to prevent future deaths. 

Her appointment comes as hospitals nationwide prepare for a surge in high-risk pregnancies, driven by chronic maternal conditions and rising maternal age. At the same time, many hospitals are closing labor and delivery units, amplifying the need for leadership focused on maternal health outcomes and access.

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