GIUSEPPINA ROMANO-CLARKE, MD, CLC

Our newest CHAMPion of the Week is an innovative leader in breastfeeding quality improvement with over 25 years of experience in the medical field. Giuseppina (Giusy) Romano-Clarke, MD, CLC, is the Newborn Unit Director of Quality Improvement at Massachusetts General Brigham (MGB) and CHAMPS National QI Team Lead at the facility.

Dr. Romano-Clarke spent more than a decade in primary care before serving as a newborn provider at MGB for the last 12 years. Her passion for addressing health care disparities, providing patient-centered care, and improving care quality has driven her involvement in numerous multidisciplinary initiatives, including efforts to improve pediatric oral health, asthma care, newborn sepsis, and hyperbilirubinemia management.

In the past two years, Dr. Romano-Clarke has taken on the role of Newborn Director of Breastfeeding Quality Improvement at MGB. She spearheaded the adoption of donor breastmilk for well newborns requiring supplementation during birth admission. Additionally, she has joined the MGH Baby-Friendly Committee and MGB Lactation Group, involving lactation consultants, a nurse midwife, outpatient obstetric nurses, labor and delivery nurses, and postpartum nurses working to coordinate and align breastfeeding services across the MGB inpatient and outpatient settings. Dr. Romano-Clarke recently received a United Against Racism grant to address breastfeeding disparities among Hispanic families.

When asked what she enjoys most about her work, Dr. Romano-Clarke highlights her close connection with her patients and the ability to drive systemic change to enhance care.

“I see breastfeeding promotion and support as a valuable opportunity to improve the physical and psychological well-being of mothers and children,” shares Dr. Romano-Clarke. “Breastfeeding disparities are due to complex social and cultural factors and are responsible for a greater chronic disease burden in minorities and low-income families. Effective interventions to address these disparities require incorporating patients’ perspectives and advocating for equal access to family support services and benefits.”

CHEER celebrates Dr. Giusy Romano-Clarke’s unwavering commitment to patient-centered care and maternal-child health equity. We are proud to honor her as our CHAMPion of the Week!