Caring, compassion define pulmonologist Dr. Gerardi

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By Liese Klein

Category: Physician

Dr. Daniel Gerardi, Chief of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, St. Francis Hospital & Medical Center

When St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center President Dr. John Rodis visited a Torrington occupational health clinic recently and talked to the staff, he discovered that Dr. Daniel Gerardi was more than just a great boss.

“They talked about how in the wintertime he actually walks elderly patients out and helps them into their cars. That’s the kind of doctor he is; that’s the kind of person he is,” Rodis said.

Gerardi, chief of pulmonary, critical care and sleep medicine at St. Francis, has built a career at the Hartford community hospital by bringing together medical excellence and a big heart, his colleagues agree.

“He lives and exemplifies our values every single day,” Rodis said. “He’s a man of integrity, compassion, caring and sensitivity. He takes care of people.”

Gerardi has also been known around the hospital for years for composing hand-written notes to the families of his patients who pass away, expressing his sorrow in his own words.

“He’s been very consistent in his compassion for patients and his passion for medicine,” Rodis said.

A native of Torrington, Gerardi began his career at St. Francis as an intern in 1988, shortly after graduating from UConn’s School of Medicine. His interest in science had been sparked early in life when a neighbor who was a former medical student lent Gerardi some microscope slides of tissues.

The young doctor considered surgery and other specialties but ended up choosing internal medicine.

“You develop long-term relationships with your patients,” Gerardi said. “You see them again and again and I value that. I kind of like establishing relationships with people, getting to know them.”

The first day of his internship at St. Francis changed Gerardi’s life in two significant ways: He met an inspirational pulmonologist, Dr. Bimalin Lahiri, and his wife, an ICU nurse.

“In one day my life kind of came together, crystallized. I found this great woman and I found a mentor,” he said.

Stints as a pulmonary fellow at UConn and attending pulmonologist at the Hospital for Special Care and New Britain General Hospital followed as Gerardi continued his training. When the longtime chief of pulmonology at St. Francis, Dr. Thomas Godard, retired in 1998, Gerardi applied to take his place.

“That’s a challenging job — to move into the footsteps of a giant,” Rodis said. “He made that transition so smoothly, with such grace and elan. I’ve been so pleased.”

One of Gerardi’s tasks in his new role at St. Francis was to lead the hospital’s department of occupational pulmonology, which treats on-the-job injuries and illnesses of the respiratory system.

“It’s very interesting work; you’re part investigator,” Gerardi said. “With new medications constantly coming onto the market in addition to new health risks like vaping, it’s an exciting, moving field.”

Gerardi’s growing expertise in pulmonology has led to leadership posts at the Connecticut Thoracic Society, American Thoracic Society and American College of Chest Physicians. He has embraced new technology in the field, including the latest in fiber-optic bronchoscopy and endobrachial ultrasound, cutting-edge diagnostic tools that allow for early detection of cancer and other ailments.

Treatment of asthma has also become one of Gerardi’s specialties, as newer medications allow for better control of the increasingly common lung ailment. Asthma has become the most common occupational lung disease, he said, and businesses should take note of potential harm to workers due to novel chemicals or processes.

“Now we’re seeing patients with asthma either aggravated or many times caused by a workplace exposure,” Gerardi said. “That has important implications for their life, their career, their longevity, their treatment.”

In St. Francis’ executive suite, Gerardi’s skill and leadership qualities have also attracted notice. He serves on the hospital’s medical executive committee and is co-chair of the ethics committee.

“That’s sort of a hidden reward in medicine — I didn’t realize how much I would enjoy working with my colleagues,” Gerardi said. “It’s just great working with a lot of really bright people on interesting diseases that change and progress. There’s a lot of positive change in medicine.”

The caring legacy of St. Francis, founded in 1897 by the Catholic Sisters of St. Joseph of Chambéry, plays a major part in his success, Gerardi added.

“There was a culture created by the sisters,” he said. “Their work has perfused the hospital. There’s a uniqueness to this hospital; you want to be part of it, you want to keep it that way, you want to improve it.

“Ultimately, I just don’t want to go through life not having an impact. You hope that all of your work and efforts have an impact. I’m just hoping to have that impact in the hospital — to help someone, change someone, support someone’s life.”

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