Yale New Haven Health: Transforming the Nursing Care Model Through Virtual Nursing

Wednesday, March 4, 2026 at 12:00 pm CST

Yale New Haven Health: Transforming the Nursing Care Model Through Virtual Nursing
This session will provide a comprehensive overview of the development and evolution of the Virtual Nursing program at Yale New Haven Health, highlighting the organizational strategies, initiatives and operational changes that have shaped its success. 

Learning Outcomes:

1. Gain insight into an approach for workforce stabilization, patient and employee satisfaction, outcomes, along with early trends and lessons learned.
2. Explore future opportunities for scalability as the program continues to advance care delivery.

Presenters

Mary C. Christoffersen, DNP, MBA, RN, CNOR, SVP & CNO - Yale New Haven Health, Bridgeport Hospital

Mary Christoffersen is a nationally recognized nursing executive with more than 25 years in health care, whose visionary leadership has driven exceptional improvements in patient satisfaction, quality outcomes, workforce engagement and organizational performance. As Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer, she led her organization to its first Magnet designation, Lantern and Beacon Gold Awards, while earning “Healthcare Heroes” recognition and prestigious fellowships with the Health Management Academy, Johnson & Johnson Innovation and Yale University.

Jennifer Ghidini, DNP, RN, CNML, Vice President of Medicine Services - Yale New Haven Hospital

Jennifer Ghidini, DNP, RN, CNML, serves as Vice President of Medicine Services at Yale New Haven Hospital. She oversees a $150 million budget, 574 inpatient beds and more than 1,200 staff members. In this role, she leads strategic initiatives that strengthen clinical operations, optimize workforce performance, improve patient outcomes and ensure regulatory compliance. A nationally recognized award recipient and published author, Jennifer Ghidini is celebrated for her transformational leadership, dedication to high-reliability care and commitment to fostering diverse and inclusive health care environments.

Leslie Hutchins, MBA, BSN, RN, NI-BC, NE-BC, Chief Nursing Information Officer - Yale New Haven Health

Leslie Hutchins, MBA, BSN, RN, NI-BC, NE-BC, is the Chief Nursing Information Officer at Yale New Haven Health, where she aligns the strategy and vision for nursing practice with digital health and information technology capabilities. She leads division wide initiatives to improve clinical and business workflows by leveraging technology and innovation to enhance efficiency, accuracy and patient care. In her role, Leslie serves as a practitioner, consultant, educator and evaluator, while mentoring clinicians to become effective and informed users of health technology. 

Rebecca McCray, DSL, MS, BSN, RN, CNML, Executive Director Nursing Operations & Central Staffing Office - Yale New Haven Health

Rebecca McCray, DSL, MS, BSN, RN, CNML, serves as the Executive Director Nursing Operations & Central Staffing Office within the Office of the Chief Nurse Executive at Yale New Haven Health.  A health care executive known for leading complex systemwide initiatives that strengthen workforce capacity, modernize care delivery and improve patient outcomes. She has driven major advancements in staffing strategy, virtual care models and ambulatory operations across Yale New Haven Health. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to high quality, patient centered care and data driven performance improvement. wide initiatives that strengthen workforce capacity, modernize care delivery and improve patient outcomes. She has driven major advancements in staffing strategy, virtual care models and ambulatory operations across Yale New Haven Health. Her leadership is defined by a commitment to high quality, patient centered care and data driven performance improvement.

Andy Quito, MBA, BSN, RN, Director of Patient Care Operations - Bridgeport Hospital

Andy Quito, MBA, BSN, RN, serves as the Director of Patient Care Operations at Bridgeport Hospital, bringing more than a decade of progressive leadership and clinical experience to the role.  Andy has led operational oversight of a large medicine service line, developed management teams and patient-care initiatives such as Virtual Nursing that support high-quality, efficient nursing practice. 

James Flaherty, MSN, RN, Virtual Care Program Manager - Yale New Haven Health

James Flaherty, MSN, RN, serves as a Virtual Care Program Manager, leading inpatient Digital Health and Virtual Care initiatives across the organization. In this role, he oversees strategy, technology integration and day-to-day operations, partnering closely with clinical, operational and technical teams to design and optimize innovative care models. James brings a strong clinical foundation to his work, having previously served as a Nurse Manager and ICU nurse, and is recognized for his ability to bridge frontline practice with digital transformation, day-to-day operations, partnering closely with clinical, operational and technical teams to design and optimize innovative care models. 

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