April 18, 2025
Howard J. Finger, DO, PALTmed’s 2025 Clinician of the Year—an attending physician, clinical ethics consultant, and UM/QA physician advisor at NYC Health + Hospitals/Coler and the Henry J. Carter Specialty Hospital and Nursing Facility—is honored by this recognition. But in the true spirit of the award—which was created to celebrate a collaborative practitioner in the PALTC setting who embodies excellence in patient/resident care—he believes it is ”more reflective of what my colleagues and I have been able to accomplish as a team, rather than a singular effort on my part…I'm deeply appreciative of all of my colleagues on the interdisciplinary teams at both Coler and Carter for the great work that they've done.”
Teamwork is second nature to Dr. Finger, as demonstrated by his ability to collaborate closely with the interdisciplinary team in pursuit of shared goals. For example, in 2024, he was instrumental in helping the Coler Memory Care Unit receive the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses Beacon Award for Excellence in recognition of the organization’s high-quality dementia care program.
Dr. Finger cites several inspirations for his team-based approach, including a report by the Institute of Medicine that recommended team-based care as the best process to avoid fragmentation of care and improve quality, and a 2021 article in Caring for the Ages, Interdisciplinary Care: Together We Can Do Something Wonderful, by Editor-in-Chief Elizabeth Galik, PhD, CRNP.
“I think the title [of the article] is so apropos because it's true. I mean, try to do something as a single member of the care team; if you don't do it in concert with everyone else, it can often go awry,” he says. “And communication is a key element of the process. I think that's what makes this award so appropriate.”
Another source of inspiration for Dr. Finger is interacting with other PALTmed members at conferences and through his work on the Ethics Subcommittee. “My involvement in PALTmed is a great opportunity to hear from my colleagues on a national level and share our experiences on the issues we face,” he explains. “When everybody gets together, and we realize we have the same problems, we can talk about how to adapt and come up with ideas and initiatives that benefit everyone. Ultimately, we can navigate challenges like the pandemic and succeed through dedication and perseverance.”
The Clinician of the Year Award is not Dr. Finger’s first recognition from PALTmed. In 2020, he received the Foundation’s Quality Improvement & Health Outcomes Award for his work in advancing end-of-life decision-making for unbefriended nursing home residents.
Watch this video of Dr. Finger discussing his award.
Learn more about the Foundation's awards program.
