Dr. James Fanale

Dr. James Fanale is the author of ONWARD: A Teaching, And A Love Story. As well as a Doctor and former hospital CEO, battling Stage 4 lung cancer. Dr. Fanale served as president and chief executive officer for Care New England (CNE) Health System in Providence, Rhode Island, from January 2018 until his retirement in late 2022. During his tenure and under his guidance, the creation of the Care New England Medical Group was created - a unified system of 500 health care providers with expanded access to a wide array of primary care physicians, surgeons, and specialty services. He also led the establishment of the Integra ACO, including the establishment of Integra as a Medicaid Accountable Entity (AE), serving more than 140,000 individuals, while generating Medicare savings of more than $30 million over four years. His book, ONWARD: A Teaching, And A Love Story takes us though his deeply personal journey of living with cancer as a physician. When going to get a simple cough checked out, Dr. Fanale was diagnosed with lung cancer, and soon began undergoing treatment. Although he has spent his life treating patients, nothing could have prepared him for the experience of becoming the patient himself. Through his experiences, Dr. Fanale has truly learned the importance of empathy in medicine, understanding the emotional weight of the journey. One of the ways he recounts employing this mindset in his practice was by calling his patients the night of their diagnosis. It's fostering the sense of community for patients that can completely change their experience. Dr. James Fanale will discuss the importance of building relationships and empathizing with patients, as well as honoring their stories, as well as their caregivers. For Dr. James Fanale's book: https://www.amazon.com/ONWARD-Teaching-Story-Physicians-Everyone/dp/B0CJH8YC6V