Dr. Fuentes observing NAMC on her first day.
Dr. Veronica Fuentes is a recurring character on NBC drama series New Amsterdam. She is the former Medical Director of New Amsterdam Medical Center. She is portrayed as Michelle Forbes.
Dr. Fuentes' Storyline[]
Dr. Veronica Fuentes, MD, FACS had her first appearance when Karen Brantley, MBA (NAMC Board of Directors Chair, former) was surprised by Dr. Max Goodwin, MD (Medical Director, former) and Dr. Helen Sharpe, MD (Chair of Oncology & Hematology, former) leaving to move to London and decided to call Dr. Fuentes to see if she would be interested in taking the position of Medical Director at New Amsterdam Medical Center.
Dr. Fuentes had a past with Dr. Goodwin, and not a good one as Dr. Fuentes had very different values compared to Dr. Goodwin.
Although there were many different storylines and issues which Dr. Fuentes caused, but one of the most notable ones was when she cut the budget by terminating many administrative staff members. These employees included Dr. Agnes Kao, MD (Chair of Neurology, current), Casey Acosta, RN (Emergency Dept. Charge Nurse), Gladys Miller, LPN (Behavioral Health Charge Nurse), and Dr. Claude Baptiste, MD, FACS (Chair of Surgery, former). All of these employees ended up coming back to NAMC.
In an attempt to improve the budget and increase profits, Dr. Fuentes decided to bring create a new department, Department of Holistic Medicine, with the new chair Dr. Mia Castries, MD. Dr. Castries ended up working against Dr. Fuentes when she decided to join Dr. Lauren Bloom, MD, FAAEM (Chair of Emergency Medicine, current), Dr. Elizabeth Wilder, MD, FACS (Chair of Oncology & Hematology, current), and Dr. Goodwin in their "alliance" against Dr. Fuentes where they secretly treated patients in the Department of Pathology.
Eventually, majority of staff members at NAMC had enough of Dr. Fuentes changes and revolted. Members of all different hospital levels (janitoral, nursing, medicine, etc.) walked out of the hospital and began chanting "Hey Hey, Ho Ho, Doctor Fuentes has got to go". Karen then goes to see Dr. Fuentes in her office after four board members called her regarding the issue. Dr. Fuentes tells Karen she needs to fix the situation, but Karen explains that this is the largest single-day walkout in public health history. Dr. Fuentes ultimately realizes that she needs to go, she resigns, leaves her ID badge at the security desk, and takes one final look around.
That was the last appearance & significant mention of her.
Trivia[]
- Dr. Fuentes & Dr. Max Goodwin, MD (Medical Director, former) had worked at a previous facility during Dr. Goodwin's infectious disease fellowship.
- Dr. Fuentes completed an Endocrine Surgery Fellowship, she performed one case at New Amsterdam Medical Center, when they were in the need of an Endocrine Surgeon. (S4 E15)