How It All Started...

Catalyst Health Advisors is the culmination of a lifetime spent serving others, solving problems and building organizations that make a lasting difference.

Dr. Daniel Alexander

Founder & Chief Medical Advisor

Founder Dr. Daniel Alexander didn't take the traditional path into medicine. Before becoming an orthopedic surgeon, he served as a Lieutenant in the Buffalo Fire Department, dedicating his early career to protecting his community. In his 30s, while raising two young children, he made the courageous decision to attend medical school—a leap that would define the rest of his career.

Driven by an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for improving healthcare, Dr. Alexander went on to found Finger Lakes Bone & Joint and Open MRI of the Finger Lakes, growing them into one of the region's most respected orthopedic practices and imaging centers. After years of thoughtful leadership and sustained growth, both organizations were successfully acquired by Rochester Regional Health.

Throughout every chapter of his career Dr. Alexander has remained guided by the same belief: people deserve better healthcare, and the organizations delivering that care deserve practical, experience-driven leadership. That belief became the foundation for Catalyst Health Advisors.

Rather than building another traditional advisory firm, Dr. Alexander assembled a trusted network of accomplished physicians and executive leaders. Together, they provide healthcare organizations with something increasingly rare: direct access to experienced physician executives and C-Suite advisors who understand the realities of leading practices, caring for patients and building successful healthcare organizations.

Our Team

Dr. James Syrett is an emergency physician and physician executive with experience leading hospitals, EMS systems, and healthcare organizations through clinical, operational, and strategic transformation.

After earning his medical degree from the University of Edinburgh and an MBA from the University of Rochester, he built a career spanning emergency medicine, emergency medical services, hospital leadership, and healthcare innovation.

As Chief Medical Officer of Auburn Community Hospital, Dr. Syrett led initiatives that transformed patient flow, reducing inpatient length of stay from approximately ten days to under four days while improving capacity and supporting an increasingly complex patient population. He also helped expand multiple clinical service lines and led successful Joint Commission and New York State Department of Health surveys, strengthening quality, physician engagement, and operational performance.

Beyond the hospital, Dr. Syrett has served as Medical Director for EMS systems, aeromedical programs, tactical medicine teams, and critical care transport services, giving him a unique perspective across the entire continuum of patient care.

A nationally recognized speaker, educator, and published author, Dr. Syrett has written and lectured on emergency medicine, healthcare leadership, patient flow, and operational excellence. As Chief Medical Officer of Zeto, he continues to work at the intersection of medicine and technology, helping healthcare organizations translate innovation into better patient care.

At Catalyst Health Advisors, Dr. Syrett brings practical experience from the bedside to the boardroom, helping healthcare organizations improve quality, operations, physician leadership, and strategic performance through practical, experience-driven solutions.