Dinali Fernando, MD

Dinali Fernando, MD, MPH is a Professor of Emergency Medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, an Attending Physician in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Elmhurst Hospital, and the Director of the Libertas Center for Human Rights at Elmhurst Hospital. She graduated from the George Washington School of Medicine and Public Health, with a focus on immigrant/refugee health. She completed her Residency in Emergency Medicine at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center, is a graduate of the Mt. Sinai Global Health Program, and has worked in Kenya and Holland. After residency, she stayed on as faculty working clinically at Elmhurst Hospital, Mt. Sinai’s affiliated public and safety net hospital for its surrounding primarily low income, immigrant community. She has successfully translated her passion to champion the underserved into tangible accomplishments in the field.  

As the Director of the Libertas Center for Human Rights at Elmhurst Hospital, Dr. Fernando has secured grand funding to develop a multidisciplinary treatment Center.  The Libertas Center provides trauma-focused, longitudinal medical, mental health, social and legal services to survivors of severe human rights violations and torture, with 88% of Libertas patients reporting improved life overall six months after receiving services.  Her expertise has been recognized with funding by New York State to conduct research on health outcomes for torture survivors.  Dr. Fernando has trained over 1000 providers across disciplines on best practices in care for torture survivors, and her work in medical education on treating vulnerable populations was featured in the Greater New York Hospital Association’s ‘Behind the White Coat’ video. She is faculty for the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai’s Global Health Program, Human Rights and Social Justice Program, and the Mount Sinai Chapter of Medical Students for Haiti.  Dr. Fernando has advocated at local, state, national and international levels to address the needs of torture survivors, including at the United Nations. Under her directorship Libertas has been highlighted with recognitions for the amplification of unheard voices from community partners, the NY City Council and the NYC Health and Hospitals Corporation. As the first ED-based human rights program in the country, Libertas has been profiled by NPR, and its model for the delivery of care has been looked to nationally and internationally. 

Dr. Fernando was recognized by the Medical Executive Committee of H&H/Elmhurst and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai for a decade of outstanding service, leadership and dedication to human rights. She was the recipient of the 2018 Pearl Birnbaum Hurwitz Humanism in Healthcare Award by the Arnold P. Gold Foundation.

Certifications
American Board of Emergency Medicine

Clinical Focus
Health and Human Rights, Global Health, Health Care Disparities

Education
MD, The George Washington School of Medicine

MPH, The George Washington School of Public Health

Internship, Internal Medicine, The George Washington School of Medicine

Residency, Emergency Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital

Committees
National Capacity Building Advisory Group for Torture Treatment Programs

Executive Committee of the National Consortium of Torture Treatment Programs

Queens Borough President’s Immigration Task Force.

Awards
2019 - Excellence in Clinical Service Alumni Award, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai
2018 - National Pearl Birnbaum Hurwitz Humanism in Healthcare Award, Gold Humanism Foundation
2018 - Gold Humanism Honor Society

2018 - Featured Physician Educator, ‘Behind the White Coat’, Greater NY Hospital Association

2018 – Doctor’s Day Award for Exceptional Service and Care to Patients and Colleagues, Elmhurst Hospital

2018 - Recognition for Outstanding Leadership, Service and Dedication, Medical Executive Committee, H&H/Elmhurst, Mt Sinai Services of the Icahn School od Medicine at Mt. Sinai

2017 - Shining Star Award for Compassionate Care, Elmhurst Hospital

2015 - NYC H&H President’s Recognition

2007 - Dr. Saidapet Balakrishnan Humanitarian Award, Mount Sinai Emergency Department

2006 - Patient Customer Service Award, Mount Sinai Emergency Department

2003 - National Honor Society for Public Health, Delta Omega Delta
Funding
2020  New York Immigration Coalition, Emergency Cash Assistance Program
2009-2022 Survivor of Torture Program, Office of Refugee Resettlement, DHHS
2012-2021 United Nations Voluntary Fund for Survivors of Torture
2017-2020 Immigrant Health Initiative, NYC Council
2017-2019 NY State DOH Empire Clinical Research Investigator Program
2017-2018 Queens Borough President’s Office
2013-2017 NYC Council Discretionary Funding