Franchitto has served as RIQI Chair-Elect since September, begins new term January 1, 2019.
January 1, 2019 — PROVIDENCE, RI — The Rhode Island Quality Institute (RIQI) Board of Directors is pleased to announce that they have elected Diana Franchitto, President & CEO of HopeHealth, as the new Chair of the Board. Ms. Franchitto succeeds Dennis Keefe, who is concluding seven years of service on the Board.
“We’re delighted to have Ms. Franchitto as our new Chair of the Board,” said Laura Adams, RIQI president and CEO. “She is an accomplished and nationally respected leader in the healthcare industry, and has just the skill set we need to help guide RIQI into the future.”
Ms. Franchitto has been a strong, leading voice in hospice, palliative and home care for more than a decade. In January 2016, the affiliation between HopeHealth and Home Care & Hospice of New England, the parent company of Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island in Providence and Visiting Nurse Home Care in Lincoln, RI, was completed. Ms. Franchitto became the CEO of the expanded regional organization, HopeHealth, which is now New England’s largest non-profit hospice and palliative care organization.
At Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island, she facilitated a partnership with the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University to become its first non-hospital teaching affiliate for hospice and palliative medicine in the nation. Ms. Franchitto established an inpatient palliative care consultation service for the Lifespan hospitals, selected nursing homes and home care agencies. In addition, she secured preferred provider relationships with Rhode Island’s first Accountable Care Organization (ACO) as well as other healthcare organizations.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Franchitto held a variety of senior leadership positions at Caritas Christi Health Care (the predecessor organization to Steward Health Care), then the second largest healthcare system in Massachusetts, where she was responsible for marketing, communications, public affairs and network development.
Ms. Franchitto has an MBA and a bachelor of science in business administration from Bentley University. She is a sought-after speaker at hospice and home care professional conferences and with regional civic organizations. She is also on the board of directors of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, Healthcentric Advisors, PACE Organization of Rhode Island and CareLink.