Scott and Joy Levy

Inspired by Innovation

In 1990, Scott and Joy Levy drove past Peddler’s Village and were “pleasantly surprised to find Doylestown,” said Dr. Levy. Joy worked at AT&T in Central New Jersey and Scott was finishing his fellowship in nephrology at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Previously unknown to them—Scott and Joy are natives of Brooklyn, New York— the picturesque Doylestown area suddenly became an attractive option to plant personal and professional roots.

Before the internet, the phone book served as both a market research tool and a directory. “At Conti’s, a well-known Doylestown restaurant at the time; I looked in the phone book to see how many nephrology practices there were in Doylestown, and there were none,” said Dr. Levy. At that time, Doylestown Hospital “did not have acute kidney dialysis for critically ill patients, so most had to be transferred to Abington or Philadelphia for specialized treatment,” he said. “I saw an opportunity to make a difference here.”

Launching a new nephrology practice was a financial challenge. “I wasn’t eligible for a loan from a bank because we didn’t have assets,” said Dr. Levy. “The VIA Affiliates gave me a 10-year loan to start my practice; I paid it back in two years.” As Dr. Levy’s practice grew, “I proposed launching a dialysis program to hospital leadership,” he recalled. “As a young physician, I was struck by the fact that their first questions weren’t regarding how much it would cost or what the revenue stream looked like. The primary focus was to demonstrate how the patients and our community would benefit.” Decades later, “the health system still approaches decision-making with the same culture and focus,” said Dr. Levy.

During twenty years as CMO, “we’ve benchmarked ourselves against the highest-quality programs and only launch clinical services where we can confidently deliver patient care that is of equivalent or higher quality than in the academic medical settings downtown,” said Dr. Levy. “That commitment to quality afforded the opportunity to explore and engage in high-end, technically complex work in specialties that are most often found in academic settings, as well as establishing two residency programs to train young physicians.”

For thirty years—twenty as Chief Medical Officer (CMO)— Scott Levy, MD, led bold growth and innovation at Doylestown Health. To mark his retirement, he and his wife, Joy, made a seed gift to launch the Cancer Innovation Fund, initiating the next phase of clinical advancements to benefit cancer patients.

The Levy family’s commitment to the community and Doylestown Health grew exponentially over the years. After a more than 20-year career at AT&T, Joy retired and joined the Village Improvement Association of Doylestown (VIA) in recognition of the support the VIA had given Scott early in his career. Joy volunteered in various leadership roles and twice chaired the VIA’s Bucks County Designer House and Gardens fundraiser. She currently serves as a Delaware Valley University Board of Trustees Officer and chairs the Board’s Finance and Investment Committees. Joy recognizes the value of the strengthened relationship between the university and Doylestown Health as these two institutions have expanded the offering of healthcare training programs.

Joy and Scott have been steadfast donors to Doylestown Health for three decades. “When you see what philanthropy can do—for patients, for the hospital, and for innovation—it has a lasting impact,” said Joy. They were inspired by their personal and professional experiences to make their most recent gift to establish the Cancer Innovation Fund, which will be earmarked to advance the development of innovative programs and approaches to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of cancer.

“We are interested in supporting cancer programs for several reasons. It’s a complex disease that affects so many people. There are presently circumstances that require patients to leave our community to get advanced care, including special surgery and access to clinical trials,” said Dr. Levy. “My father fought lung cancer for ten years and received most of his care here, but still had to go downtown for proton therapy,” he continued. “We saw firsthand just how challenging it was for him and our family.”

“It was the perfect fit to provide start-up funds for a Cancer Innovation Fund that will ensure resources are available for the next phase of advancements in treating cancer patients,” said Joy. According to Dr. Levy, “Doylestown Health is at its best when we are not only engaged in delivering great care but designing great care.”

Laura Wortman, Vice President and Chief Advancement Officer for Doylestown Health, agreed. “Joy and Scott are true partners. They lead with their hearts and have high expectations that those instincts will be supported by a thoughtful strategy and a strong plan,” she said. “Their gift will support a legacy of talent, innovation, and clinical excellence.”

“When I first drove through this community, I couldn’t imagine living and working here let alone having a grandchild here,” said Dr. Levy. “Joy and I are really looking forward to what’s next.”

To learn more about Doylestown Health’s Cancer Innovation Fund, please visit: DoylestownHealthFoundation.org/CancerInnovation

Fill Our Bucket

A person who shows kindness and does something special for someone else is known as a “bucket filler.” Doylestown Health invites bucket fillers of all ages to continue to join in supporting the needs of Children’s Village as they become established in their new home. Everything from art supplies to additional classroom seating to library books is still needed to enhance learning needs.

Naming opportunities are also available at a number of gift levels.

To learn more, please visit: doylestownhealthfoundation.org/bucket

Article appears in the 2024 Philanthropy Report

To learn more about the One Vision Campaign and to make a gift to support expanding programs, please visit:
DoylestownHealthFoundation.org/Donate

About Doylestown Health Foundation

As the philanthropic arm of Penn Medicine Doylestown Health, the Doylestown Health Foundation raises funds to safeguard the future of excellence in patient care and to improve the quality of life for all members of our Central Bucks County community and beyond.