Northwell Health’s Sven Gierlinger Recognized as Press Ganey’s HX24 CXO of the Year

Award recognizes Press Ganey’s roots in patient experience through an individual who is a CXO and innovator changing patient experience for the better

NEW HYDE PARK, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Northwell Health, New York’s largest health system, and Press Ganey, the leader in helping health care providers and health plans transform the Human Experience (HX), today announced that Sven Gierlinger, senior vice president and chief experience offer at Northwell, has been recognized by Press Ganey as its HX24 CXO of the Year. The award was presented to him in person on February 5th at Press Ganey’s HX24 conference in Orlando, Florida.

Sven Gierlinger is responsible for building an engaging, innovative and collaborative culture that drives organizational growth and customer loyalty through world-class service and patient-centered experience. He came to Northwell 10 years ago from the Henry Ford Health System in Detroit, where he served as vice president of hospitality and service culture responsible for creating a superior and consistent service experience for patients, visitors and employees.

“Our patients hold the power of choice and it is imperative that we continuously push ourselves to provide them and their families with the absolute best care and hospitality,” said Mr. Gierlinger. “I am honored and thankful to Press Ganey for this recognition – there is still much work to be done.”

Mr. Gierlinger began his career in the luxury hotel business, holding a series of leadership positions with the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. He played a key role in the openings of several Ritz-Carlton hotels in Germany, Japan, Indonesia and the United States, responsible for executing and implementing Ritz-Carlton service standards, training staff and leading teams of trainers. He is a board member of The Beryl Institute and member of the Institute for Innovation, Founding Executive Council.

“Sven truly understands that the patient experience begins with listening,” said Patrick Ryan, chairman and CEO at Press Ganey. “He has implemented transformative programs to build trust with his colleagues and patients at Northwell. He’s truly one of the innovative leaders in our industry who has been at the forefront of ensuring that every patient’s voice is heard.”

Northwell treats more than two million patients each year and as New York State’s largest private employer, the health system strives to improve the human experience receiving and providing health care. Mr. Gierlinger and his team consistently challenge themselves to find new ways to improve hospitality, service and better connect with patients, families and the community at large. One of Mr. Gierlinger’s most successful initiatives was the transformational redesign of Northwell’s food program across all 21 hospitals with the help of Michelin star chef Bruno Tison.

“On behalf of Northwell Health and our 85,000 team members, we congratulate Sven on this exceptional recognition,” said Michael Dowling, president and CEO of Northwell Health. “His leadership, dedication, and innovative approach have truly transformed how we deliver care and is a testament to Sven and his team’s outstanding commitment to enhancing patient experience.”

Mr. Gierlinger’s team is focused on creating life-long customer loyalty by listening to the “voice” of patients and customers while maximizing the use of technology to elevate human connections. Health care professionals have the opportunity to learn to reframe and create experiences that are seamless and effortless across the continuum of care.

Most recently, it was announced that Northwell won five Press Ganey Awards for patient and consumer experience, including the Guardian of Excellence Award for Consumer Experience for the whole health system.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is New York State’s largest health care provider and private employer, with 21 hospitals, about 900 outpatient facilities and more than 12,000 affiliated physicians. We care for over two million people annually in the New York metro area and beyond, thanks to philanthropic support from our communities. Our 85,000 employees – 18,900 nurses and 4,900 employed doctors, including members of Northwell Health Physician Partners – are working to change health care for the better. We’re making breakthroughs in medicine at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research. We're training the next generation of medical professionals at the visionary Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. For information on our more than 100 medical specialties, visit Northwell.edu and follow us @NorthwellHealth on Facebook, X, Instagram and LinkedIn.

About Press Ganey

Press Ganey, the leading Human Experience (HX) healthcare performance improvement company, offers an integrated suite of solutions that address safety, clinical excellence, patient and member experience and workforce engagement. The company works with more than 41,000 healthcare facilities in its mission to reduce patient suffering and enhance caregiver resilience to improve the overall safety, quality, and experience of care. Press Ganey is a PG Forsta company.

About PG Forsta

PG Forsta provides the technology and expertise to help organizations get a deeper, more complete understanding of the experiences of their audiences. The company powers the HX (Human Experience) Platform – a comprehensive experience and research technology platform that breaks down the silos between CX (Customer Experience), Employee Experience (EX), Patient Experience (PX) and Market Research. PG Forsta serves a variety of industries, including healthcare, financial services, hospitality, market research, professional services, retail, and technology.