Michael Dowling’s Journey in Healthcare

Michael Dowling, the former CEO of Northwell Health, shares insights into his fascinating journey, where he transitioned from hands-on roles to leading a healthcare network that now comprises 28 hospitals and over 1,000 outpatient centers across the Tri-State area. It’s been quite the adventure.

At 75, Dowling reflects on his early life growing up in poverty in Ireland, living in cramped conditions, and arriving in New York at just 16 during the 1960s.

“I had various jobs—working on boats in Manhattan, doing construction, and plumbing work,” he recalls. A lot of his experiences took place in places like New Rochelle and Yonkers. Cleaning bars in Queens and scrubbing floors as a custodian were just part of life; not something that bothered him at all.

Through hard work, he eventually earned his bachelor’s degree, which he describes as a big turning point, followed by a master’s in human services policy from Fordham University in 1974.

His impressive resume, including time at the Department of Health and Human Services, led to his appointment in 1995 as an executive at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset.

“I believed we could do better than what I experienced growing up,” Dowling says. He became CEO of Northwell in 2002 and even served as the Grand Marshall for Manhattan’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade in 2017.

“You strive to do your best, treat people well, and work harder than anyone else,” he notes. “Climbing the ladder of life, you sometimes don’t know where the top lies.”

Surgical Accuracy and Hospital Mergers

Dowling ventured into uncharted territory in the mid-1990s when Northwell merged with struggling hospitals, a move that significantly impacted healthcare on Long Island.

“When we first came to this area in 1996, we started with only nine hospitals, and people were skeptical, thinking, ‘What are they up to?’” he explains.

Complications arose when North Shore initiated another merger, this time with rivals Long Island Jewish in New Hyde Park, forcing negotiations in a neutral setting due to ongoing tensions.

“The Department of Justice initially challenged us, siding with insurance companies to block the merger,” Dowling recalls. “In the end, we triumphed in a two-week trial.”

Following this, Northwell expanded into New York City and beyond, most recently merging with Nuvance Health and eyeing opportunities in New Jersey.

“If you can travel for over 30 minutes and don’t see one of our locations, let us know—there’s definitely a need,” he adds with a chuckle.

Engagement with Employees

Despite the demands of being CEO, Dowling values connecting with nearly 105,000 employees. “For me, that connection is essential,” he says, mentioning how he often enjoys dinner with staff and walks through hospitals.

“Not many CEOs do this,” he acknowledges. “But it seems to have caught on since people learned I make it a point.”

These interactions, he says, often influence his decisions, even leading him to remove one employee during orientation. Yet, he finds joy in the stories shared by new hires about their journeys.

“Life is about opportunity, not challenges,” Dowling asserts. “People complain too much. You just have to push through it and handle it.”