Honorees among 76 recognized from NYC metro area for efforts to improve quality, safety, and the patient care 

Brooklyn, NY, June 26, 2026 – Maimonides Health clinical leaders Sergey M. Motov, MD, FAAEM, Emergency Medicine Physician and Research Director at Maimonides Medical Center, and Fouad Bou Harb, MD, Director of Infection Control at Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital, were honored by the United Hospital Fund (UHF) as 2026 Quality Improvement Champions. 

Dr. Motov and Dr. Bou Harb were among 76 quality improvement leaders from 68 health care organizations across the metropolitan region recognized for their tireless efforts to improve the quality, safety, and patient care at their institutions.

As a national leader in emergency medicine and pain care, Dr. Motov is passionate about advancing safety and efficacy of pain management techniques in the emergency department. He leads Maimonides in its pioneering approach to safer, effective pain management through “opioid optimization.” He has numerous publications on the subject of opioidalternatives in pain management, and is actively involved in growing this body of work both nationally and globally.

With a medical career spanning more than 35 years, Dr. Bou Harb has served as an attending physician of infectious disease medicine at Maimonides Midwood Community Hospital since 2008. He is a member of the Infectious Disease Society of America and the American Medical Association. Most recently, he led the implementation of a multipronged interventional approach to combat hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile and multidrug-resistant organism infections. After the interventions, the rate of C. diff infections decreased by 98% from 2021 to 2025, and the rate of combined multidrug-resistant organism infections decreased by 97% from 2021 to 2025. 

“Dr Motov and Dr. Bou Harb have made immense an impact on patient care across the Maimonides Health system, leading our teams in implementing safer pain management methods and directly decreasing hospital-acquired infections by 97%,” said Ken Gibbs, President and CEO of Maimonides Health. “Their talent, commitment to excellence, and drive to help our patients and community distinguish them as healthcare champions. These are the values we strive toward every day at Maimonides, and we are fortunate to count Dr. Motov and Dr. Bou Harb among our many accomplished clinical leaders.”

The eighth annual Tribute to Excellence in Health Care event was held at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City and was attended by more than 500 members of the New York area’s health care community. TD Bank was the lead sponsor of the event, and keynote remarks were given by James V. McDonald, MD, the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health. Alister F. Martin, MD, MPP, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, also attended the event. 

The honorees include physicians, nurses, social workers, pharmacists, and a broad range of other health care leaders, each selected by senior executives at their institution. They represent 68 hospital systems, long-term care facilities, home care organizations, independent practice associations, federally qualified health centers, medical groups, and behavioral health organizations. 

“Today’s celebration of health care excellence is part of UHF’s broader work to build an effective and equitable health care system,” said UHF President and CEO Oxiris Barbot, MD. “We have some of the best health care institutions in the world, many represented in this room, but we all recognize that we must relentlessly continue to improve quality.” The Tribute was created to recognize and nourish this essential work, she said. 

 The full list of honorees can be found here. View photos of the event and download using PIN 7683.  

About United Hospital Fund   

United Hospital Fund works to build an effective and equitable health care system for every New Yorker. An independent, nonprofit organization, we are a force for improvement, analyzing public policy to inform decision-makers, finding common ground among diverse stakeholders, and developing and supporting innovative programs that improve health and health care. For more on our initiatives and programs please visit our website at www.uhfnyc.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and BlueSky.