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September 30, 2024 / 2024 Connecticut's Healthcare Heroes Awards

2024 Healthcare Hero: Paul Verrastro

Paul Verrastro Senior Vice President of Operations & Risk First Fertility Return to the honorees homepage  
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Winner Category |  Healthcare Staff

Paul Verrastro has 30 years of experience in women’s healthcare operations and has been with First Fertility for 23 years. During most of this time, he served as the CEO of The Center for Advanced Reproductive Services, where under Verrastro’s leadership nearly 15,000 babies were born to Connecticut families.

Verrastro currently serves as senior vice president of operations and risk at First Fertility, where he works on operationalizing organizational objectives, mitigating risk and mentoring the next generation of reproductive managers.

What have been your significant contributions to your organization in the past year?

Rocky Hill-based First Fertility has experienced exponential growth over the past year, and we have hired many new healthcare professionals. A significant contribution I have made in the last year is developing a Fertility 101 staff orientation plan for new hires.

There are many healthcare skills that transfer easily to fertility. However, our field is unique and scientifically complex in many ways. It is critical that we remain focused on the unique emotional needs and challenges of the patients we serve.

The most important subject we discuss is our patients’ care, and the most critical numbers we evaluate are our pregnancy rates.

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Tell us about a challenge in your job that you were able to overcome.

As our network grew to 10 centers in eight states, each practice had a different supplies procurement process. I identified a system to aggregate the process for cost savings. We have since achieved over $250,000 in annualized savings with five centers, with plans to convert five more in 2025.

What’s your next major goal and/or challenge?

First Fertility has recently partnered with a fertility clinic on the West Coast. We will be designing and building out a brand new 15,000-square-foot facility in the greater Los Angeles area.

Personal side:

Residence: West Hartford

Favorite way to relax: Sitting around a summer fire with a glass of wine in our backyard with my husband.

Hobbies: Theater, meditation, the beach and horseback riding

Favorite movie: “Gypsy,” with Natalie Wood.

Currently reading: “Stop Missing Your Life,” by Cory Muscara

Favorite cause: West Hartford Pride, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, Actors Fund

Fun fact: It’s a long story, but 35 years ago I attended Mick Jagger’s birthday party when the Rolling Stones were preparing for a tour in Washington, CT.

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