In a time where healthcare is evolving rapidly, Dr. Hina Ghory stands out as a physician executive who embodies the ideals of integrity, innovation, and empathy. As the Chief Medical Officer of CareWell Health Medical Center in East Orange, New Jersey, Dr. Ghory is transforming how care is delivered—especially to underserved communities—by integrating frontline clinical insight with strategic leadership.
A Journey Shaped by Resilience and Service
Dr. Ghory’s story begins in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, where she spent the first fifteen years of her life. Against prevailing cultural expectations at the time, her parents made a pivotal decision—to prioritize education for their three daughters. Their vision, rooted in independence and empowerment, inspired Dr. Ghory to pursue medicine. After immigrating to the United States as a teenager, she encountered the challenges of adaptation. Quiet by nature, she was often told to “speak up”—a directive she embraced fully when she chose emergency medicine as her specialty.
“The emergency department is a place where silence is not an option,” she says. “It forces you to lead, act, and adapt quickly. Bringing control to the chaos is thrilling and rewarding at the same time; and I was immediately drawn to it .”
Dr. Ghory earned her undergraduate degree summa cum laude at Wellesley College, completed her medical education at Weill Cornell Medical College, and pursued an Emergency Medicine residency at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, where she later served as Chief Resident. To further her impact on healthcare systems, she earned an MBA in Healthcare Administration from Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
Driving Change from the Bedside to the Boardroom
As both a clinician and leader, Dr. Ghory exemplifies a patient-first philosophy. As Chief Medical Officer, she continues to work monthly shifts in her emergency department, ensuring she stays closely connected to the realities her team faces.
“Empathy is the foundation of my leadership,” she explains. “Every decision begins with a simple question: What would I want for my own family?”
This ethos has shaped numerous initiatives. Under her leadership, CareWell Health has introduced new protocols to empower nurses, improved communication during critical care transitions, and significantly reduced documentation backlogs—freeing up millions in delayed revenue. One standout innovation Dr. Ghory began in the ED is the “Red Label” initiative, which enhances staff safety from violent incidents and is now being adopted hospital-wide.
Dr. Ghory also spearheaded a partnership with VITAS Healthcare to establish an inpatient hospice program—ensuring that patients with serious illnesses receive the compassion and palliative care they need.
Championing Equity in Healthcare and Education
From mentoring first-generation college students to serving as Medical Director for Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Physician Assistant Program, Dr. Ghory is dedicated to nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals.
Her academic collaborations are both local and international. At Weill Cornell, she taught at both the New York and Qatar campuses, helping students from vastly different backgrounds grow into confident medical professionals. Locally, she built an academic affiliation between CareWell Health and FDU, providing PA students with hands-on clinical experience and supporting community engagement initiatives, including internships at Camp Nejeda for children with type 1 diabetes.
“These partnerships inject curiosity and new energy into our hospital,” she says. “They’re also about expanding access—to education, to careers, to quality care.”
Building Culture and Camaraderie in Crisis-Driven Spaces
Dr. Ghory believes that high-performing teams are built on trust, visibility and authentic connection. Whether organizing hospital-wide holiday events or team gym classes, she ensures her presence is felt beyond meetings and metrics.
“Culture is built in the trenches,” she says. “It’s about showing up—at 2 a.m. in the ED or at a teammate’s daughter’s wedding.”
Her approach has fostered loyalty and collaboration, even during challenging times marked by staff shortages and high-acuity patients. Her improvements in emergency department throughput—such as real-time texting protocols and smart EMR tools—have not only reduced patient length of stay but also enhanced team efficiency.
A Voice for Women in Leadership
As a woman of color in healthcare leadership, Dr. Ghory is deeply aware of the systemic barriers many face.
“Implicit bias and unequal mentorship opportunities still exist,” she notes. “But we can’t just talk about equity—we have to embed it in our strategy.”
She leads by example, mentoring young women through programs like NeXXt Scholars, serving on the Board of the Mercer County Status of Women Commission and offering candid, empathetic guidance to those navigating their own paths in medicine.
A Transformational Leader for a New Era of Healthcare
Dr. Hina Ghory’s journey—from a quiet immigrant student to a dynamic CMO—is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when resilience meets purpose. Her leadership is transforming not just hospital systems, but also the lives of those she mentors and the communities she serves.
In every role, she brings her full self—rooted in service, guided by empathy, and driven by excellence. As one of EN Times’ Rising Stars in Healthcare 2025, Dr. Ghory exemplifies the future of compassionate, inclusive, and innovative medical leadership.
