Samaritan, a regional nonprofit provider of hospice care, palliative medicine, and grief support, recently announced a transition within its executive leadership team. Effective June 15 Dr. John Bertagnolli will officially take the helm as the organization’s new chief medical officer (CMO).
Bertagnolli succeeds Dr. Sara Pagliaro, who has served as Samaritan’s CMO since 2024.
In his new role Bertagnolli will oversee all clinical health care operations for Samaritan, an organization that administers care to more than 13,000 patients, clients, and families annually. His responsibilities will encompass directing Samaritan’s core medical teams, supporting essential healthcare and referral partnerships, and spearheading the Boccolini Institute, Samaritan’s dedicated arm for end-of-life care education, research, and advocacy.
“Dr. Bertagnolli has been part of the Samaritan family for more than 10 years and brings more than 35 years of family medicine experience to our organization,” Samaritan President & CEO Phillip Heath said. “He has excelled as a hospice physician during his many years with Samaritan, overseeing interdisciplinary teams and ensuring the consistent delivery of quality patient care.”
Heath also expressed gratitude for the outgoing clinical leader, adding, “We extend our sincere gratitude to Dr. Pagliaro for her many years of service to Samaritan, consistently strong leadership, and her delivery of quality care to all those we serve – we wish her all the best in her future endeavors.”
Bertagnolli’s career spans over three decades of medical practice, clinical instruction, and community service across the region:
- Board Certifications: Certified in family medicine by the American Osteopathic Board of Family Physicians. In 2013, he earned a specialized Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) in Hospice & Palliative Medicine.
- Academic Experience: Prior to working full-time in hospice and palliative medicine, he spent years teaching and mentoring future physicians at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) School of Osteopathic Medicine within the Department of Family Medicine.
- Professional Affiliations: Active member of the American Osteopathic Association, the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians, and the New Jersey Association of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons.
An alumnus of Rutgers University in Camden, where he completed his undergraduate studies, Bertagnolli earned his medical degree from UMDNJ’s School of Osteopathic Medicine in Stratford.
