Courtesy nychealthandhospitals
MOHAMED FARGHALY
mfarghaly@queensledger.com
NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Chief Financial Officer Roger Zhu has been named on the City & State New York’s inaugural “Asian Trailblazers” list, an honor recognizing over 50 influential Asian American and Pacific Islander leaders across the state who have made significant contributions to public service, business, and community impact.
The announcement was made in celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, highlighting leaders from a wide array of cultural backgrounds, including Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Korean, Bangladeshi, Vietnamese, and more.
Zhu, who oversees a $1 billion budget at one of the city’s busiest public hospitals, has spent nearly three decades in the NYC Health + Hospitals system. Under his financial leadership at Elmhurst Hospital, he has implemented a series of strategies that improved revenue collection by 62% over a three-year period, addressing long-standing billing and registration issues with a data-driven approach.
“There are many strategies behind these things,” Zhu said, describing his process. “Of course, that rely on the data and the statistic reports… reviewing those reports and ensuring that we are collecting what we needed.”
Zhu said that keeping Elmhurst financially stable allows the hospital to fulfill its core mission of serving a largely low-income and immigrant population. “Our mission is to provide care to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay or immigration status,” he said. “Approximately 40% of our population is uninsured… I’m trying to balance the Excel spreadsheet in order for us to continue to provide the service or extend service to our local community.”
Born in China and raised in Queens, Zhu’s path into healthcare finance was grounded in community.
“It’s a privilege to be part of a team that’s committed to delivering exceptional care, especially at a facility like Elmhurst that truly represents the spirit of Queens,” said Zhu. “This recognition means a great deal to me, and I hope it inspires the next generation of Asian American leaders to continue shaping the future of health care and public service.”
Starting as a grants panelist, he gradually built expertise in healthcare operations, budget management, and reimbursement systems, guided by mentors who understood the unique needs of the city’s public hospitals.
“I think this is a defining moment in my career, this is the time where I’m the chief financial officer level working with all the departments, how I can be able to hold other departments hands and working together on the same page,” Zhu said.
Now managing over 500 employees across 14 departments, Zhu has made it a priority to mentor and empower the next generation of diverse healthcare professionals. “We have 14 different departments that are allowing them to grow in their 14 different paths… to become future CFOs.”
Despite the magnitude of the recognition, Zhu remains humble about the honor. “I think I’m so humble and excited to receive this all. I think at the compared to the other trail blazers that list under the New York City and state, I think of my achievement is not worth the matching… but it is truly a remarkable experience, inspiring me to make significant contributions to Elmhurst Hospital, and further, probably, to the Health and Hospitals above and beyond.”
He added, “It’s a privilege to be part of a team that’s committed to delivering exceptional care, especially at a facility like Elmhurst that truly represents the spirit of Queens… I hope it inspires the next generation of Asian American leaders to continue shaping the future of health care and public service.”
Elmhurst Hospital is known for serving one of the most diverse communities in New York City, with a patient population that reflects a rich blend of cultures, languages, and backgrounds, including large Asian and Latino populations. This diversity is mirrored in the hospital’s staff and leadership, fostering an inclusive environment where cultural understanding and community connection are at the core of care. As Zhu put it, “I’m in the right community. I’m in the right place.”
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal healthcare system in the country, serving more than one million New Yorkers annually across more than 70 locations, with a mission rooted in equity, inclusion, and accessible care for all.
