Team Spotlight:
Andrew (Andy) Sama
President of Progressive Emergency Physicians (PEP)
July 24, 2024
Recognized as a leader and innovator in the field of Emergency Medicine, Andrew (Andy) Sama, MD, FACEP, is a board-certified emergency medicine, pediatric emergency medicine, and internal medicine physician with over 40 years of medical experience. He serves as the founding President of Progressive Emergency Physicians (PEP) and as Executive Vice President at Emergency Care Partners (ECP). Dr. Sama earned an undergraduate degree in molecular biology from Columbia University and a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University Medical College. During the final year of his Internal Medicine Residency at North Shore University Hospital, he was appointed as Assistant Chief Resident.
As President of PEP, Dr. Sama oversees emergency medicine management operations at Good Samaritan University Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Mercy Medical Center, and St. Francis Hospital, all of which are part of Catholic Health Services of Long Island. PEP staffs and manages each hospital’s Emergency Department.
Prior to serving as the President of PEP, Dr. Sama was primarily affiliated with the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System (Now Northwell Health.). He initiated the Department of Emergency Medicine at North Shore University Hospital. He assisted in the creation of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Emergency Medicine Service Line – overseeing more than 300 physicians, fellows, and residents throughout 16 locations. During his tenure with the North Shore Long Island Jewish Health System, Dr. Sama was the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the North Shore Long Island Jewish Medical Group (Now Northwell Health Physician Partners).
In addition to his impressive clinical career, Dr. Sama has held several academic appointments, including as a professor of Emergency Medicine at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine and Chair and Professor for the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Hofstra School of Medicine.
Leadership Experience in Emergency Medicine
Dr. Sama is no stranger to leadership roles in the field of emergency medicine. From a national perspective, he has been an active member of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) for more than 25 years. Having served on the Board of Directors and held the titles of Secretary-Treasurer, Vice President, President, and Chairman of the Board for the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
Outside of Emergency Medicine, Dr. Sama’s leadership includes the Executive Chairman of the Board for Care2U, an in-home urgent care service, the Board Chairman of Physicians’ Home, the Medical Advisor and Limited Partner of Regal Healthcare Capital Partners, a physician-led private investment group, and member of the Board of Directors for Partners First Cardiology, a private company that provides private practice cardiologist business solutions.
With Dr. Sama’s support and leadership, Progressive Emergency Physicians and Emergency Care Partners continue to grow successfully and maintain a focus on high-quality patient care combined with innovative business solutions.
Interview with Dr. Sama
Q: When did you decide to become a physician?
I decided to become a physician while pursuing my undergraduate degree. I actually started out as a math major but realized there wouldn’t be enough human interaction for me in that field. I knew that I also had a growing interest in biology, and molecular biology was in its infancy at the time which was intriguing to me. I changed my undergraduate major to molecular biology and subsequently earned a medical degree and became an emergency physician, which has afforded me the opportunity to have the human interactions I sought while pursuing a fulfilling career.
Q: What is your favorite part about working with Progressive Emergency Physicians (PEP) and ECP?
The best part about the partnership with Emergency Care Partners (ECP) is that Progressive Emergency Physicians (PEP) continues to operate as a physician-owned group with our own governance. We have the support that a large company provides in all aspects of the business of medicine. ECP supports our operational, corporate, and financial needs, but day-to-day management of sites and patients is the same as it was prior to joining the ECP partnership. Our physicians have the independence they want as a practicing emergency physician group.
Q: How do you manage working as a full-time emergency physician, President of PEP, and serving as a board member for ECP?
I enjoy the clinical and business/operational aspects of emergency medicine. The ECP partnership affords me and the other physician leaders the opportunity to collaborate and problem-solve. One of the modern Hippocratic Oaths is “collaborating with other health professionals to improve patient care” – a concept the ECP partnership is centered on. We have an annual medical leadership conference where leaders present strategies and new initiatives to enhance care and performance.
Q: What do you find most exciting about your job?
The privilege of taking care of sick people every day. It’s not a job. It’s a privilege to help a person who is experiencing some of the worst circumstances of their life and to have an opportunity to make a significant impact. There aren’t many jobs where you have the opportunity every day to make a big difference in the long term.
Q: Outside of work, how do you like to spend your time?
Mostly with family and friends. I enjoy fishing, skiing, dining, and travel.
About Progressive Emergency Physicians
Headquartered in Long Island, New York, Progressive Emergency Physicians (PEP) is an emergency medicine group that combines clinical, operational, and academic excellence. PEP delivers best-in-class care and economic performance, and the group’s democratic partnership-driven culture promotes alignment, accountability, and innovation among clinicians. The group’s substantial academic experience includes management of a large Emergency Medicine residency program as well as a Pediatric Emergency Medicine Fellowship Program and additional fellowships in Emergency Ultrasound, Observation Medicine, and Administration and Leadership. Currently, PEP staffs and manages seven hospital emergency departments, treating approximately 300,000 patients annually. The company also staffs and manages Observation Units in five of these client hospitals. PEP also operates fellowship programs for physician assistants and emergency department discharge programs staffed with EMTs.
About Emergency Care Partners
Emergency Care Partners (ECP) is a leading provider of emergency medicine and emergency department management services for hospitals across the U.S., with current operations in Arizona, Florida, Louisiana, Illinois, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and New York. ECP currently sees more than 1.4M patient visits annually and is supported by a clinical workforce of 1,000+ physicians and mid-level providers. ECP employs a differentiated model relative to other platforms in the industry, highlighted by the ability to maintain ownership through its physician partnership model and for regional/local groups to maintain their branding and clinical autonomy while benefitting from ECP’s national resources.
Partner with ECP and Bring Together the Best of Both Worlds.
To learn more about Dr. Sama, Progressive Emergency Physicians, or Emergency Care Partners, please use the button below to fill out our contact form or email our business development team directly at partnerdevelopment@ecp.net.