Rhode Island Department of Health has a new acting director, Dr. Staci Fischer, who will take over the position on March 29. Gov. Dan McKee announced the appointment in an email on Thursday afternoon. Fischer, who currently serves as the chief administrative officer for the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline, will fill in as the acting director while the search for a permanent health director is ongoing.
Dr. Utpala Bandy, who has been serving as interim health director since June 2023, gave notice of her intent to resign in January and will leave office on March 29. Fischer’s salary is $207,000 according to the state payroll database, compared to the $175,000 salary of the health director position. McKee has proposed a $250,000 salary effective in April to make the position more attractive to potential candidates.
Fischer has been working for the health department since July 2023 and also serves as one of the state’s medical directors. She has previously practiced at Rhode Island Hospital for 15 years and has experience overseeing training for medical residents and fellows. Her resume includes positions as the director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University, and with the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education. Fischer graduated from Tulane University with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and completed her doctorate in medicine at Louisiana State University School of Medicine.