Earlier this week, Delaware became the seventh state to establish a surgeon general.
Governor Matt Meyer created the new post via executive order and appointed Dr. Neil Hockstein to the position. Dr. Hockstein is a physician and surgeon specializing in diagnosing and treating issues associated with the ear, nose, and throat.
The surgeon general will serve within the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS) as the state’s principal public health communicator and chief advocate for the health and well-being of Delawareans. He will also advise the governor and executive branch agencies on emerging public health issues, organize healthcare and community stakeholders, and promote policies to improve health outcomes.
The governor’s order somewhat reorganizes the state’s executive branch health bureaucracy. Under the revised structure, the surgeon general will serve as a deputy cabinet secretary within the DHSS, and the director of the Division of Public Health will report to the surgeon general.
Dr. Hockstein has been tasked with issuing a strategic report to the governor within the next 12 months. The report will identify opportunities to improve health outcomes, strengthen Delaware’s public health infrastructure, improve access to healthcare, and prepare the state for future public health challenges.
As an executive order, the General Assembly played no role in establishing the new office.
Dr. Hockstein will officially begin his duties in the first week of August.
