Robert H. Leviton MD, MPH, FACEP

Title: Trustee
Email: rleviton@bnetinc.org

Dr. Leviton was born and raised in Wantagh, New York but has always maintained an outward worldview. In addition to receiving his undergraduate degree in the United States, he has studied and researched in Central America and Europe. Graduating from the University of Rome (Italy) Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Dr. Leviton returned to the United States and specialized in both Family Practice and the practice of Emergency Medicine. He has been board certified in both specialties and is currently recognized as a Fellow in the American College Emergency Physicians. During his tenure as the Emergency Department Director of Franklin Hospital Medical Center (Franklin Square, NY), Dr. Leviton earned his Master's degree in Healthcare Administration and Policy at Columbia University School of Public Health.

Upon his return to the Long Island region, Dr. Leviton recognized a need for countywide emergency preparedness training. As the Medical Director of the Fire Police EMS Training Academy of Nassau County, he began conducting disaster drills including all community and regional EMS, Fire and Police services.

The National Disaster Medical System (NDMS) recruited Dr. Leviton's services to conduct a military-civilian contingency mass-care exercise with the US Department of Defense during Desert Shield operations. As a result of these exercises, the New York State Emergency Management Office (NYSEMO) asked him to collaborate on many of the state's preparedness initiatives including the Joint Loss Reduction Project (JLRP). Dr. Leviton's leadership position on the JLRP led to his election as founding member and President of the not-for-profit Business Network for Emergency Resources (BNET) that provides emergency credentials to business and industry through its Corporate Emergency Access System (CEAS). The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) appointed him to serve for two years on the Board of Visitors at the Emergency Management Institute of the National Emergency Training Center in Emmetsburg, MD.

Dr. Leviton has assisted the Joint Commission for the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in the development of new national standards for hospital emergency preparedness and served as their consultant and a member of their expert faculty where he consulted for many healthcare institutions.

In his position as the Chairman of the Emergency Department of the New York United Hospital, Dr. Leviton introduced numerous community emergency preparedness projects. He organized the first Police Department Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) program in the state that has become a model for other police departments. This program was soon extended into community Fire Departments and local school systems. He created the Maritime EMS Response System for the Long Island Sound communities of Port Chester, Rye, Mamaroneck, and Larchmont. He organized numerous disaster exercises for community EMS services, Disaster Shelter Management training for municipal employees, and a Mass CPR training program in the Village of Mamaroneck. He regularly provides medical guidance to the American Red Cross Westchester Chapter's Disaster Health Service. Dr. Leviton enjoys teaching and frequently has been sought by many schools, community organizations, and physician residency training programs.

Currently, Dr. Leviton is the Chairman of the Department of Emergency Medicine at Our Lady of Mercy Medical Center in the Bronx. The Department treats 50,000 patients' annually in three distinct units (Adult, Pediatric, and Psychiatric Emergency Departments) and is the site for residency training programs in Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics & Gynecology. He is an Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the New York Medical College. During his first year with the institution, he has been awarded over $300,000 in grants that have been used to improve the charting and documentation processes of the department, developed a new Triage Office and patient flow system, and computerize the entire operations of the Department. As the hospital's Chairman of the Emergency Preparedness Committee, he has implemented many new programs that enhance the safety of the Hospital and its community.