“To be able to contribute in even a small way that makes such a big difference in the lives of our patients is both humbling and empowering!”
Director of Quality, Safety & Regulatory, Penn Transplant Institute
"Think of me as the 'man behind the curtain' in the Wizard of Oz. Patients don't see me, they rarely interact with me…they likely don't even know I exist. All the same, I — and all the members of the Penn Transplant Institute Quality, Safety and Regulatory team — work hand-in-hand with our clinicians to make sure our transplant teams are providing the safest, highest-quality care for our patients.
I'll admit that my job is a little geeky and can be hard to explain. In a nutshell, my team analyzes performance across all of Penn's transplant programs. We find the answers to questions that have to be asked. Are we meeting federal regulations for safe transplant care? What does the clinical team need to know to match each patient with the most appropriate organ in order to extend and improve quality of life? Is our staffing sufficient to provide safe care? Do our patients feel satisfied, listened to and cared for? We analyze data all day every day and then work with our clinicians to continue improving.
We set the bar purposefully high at Penn when it comes to transplants — higher than the norm. We don't want to just be average or meet the minimum requirements. We aim to set the gold standard for transplant care. To do that requires data and an integrated team approach. The information my team collects and analyzes — coupled with our clinical teams applying the lessons learned into patient care — truly helps us reach that higher standard.
Early in my healthcare career, I was a clinician working with patients who needed cardiac rehabilitation. I swore I'd never leave one-on-one patient care, but then I learned about the work being done in the quality and performance improvement field and it intrigued me. Even though I loved working individually with patients, I realized I could impact even more patients if I made the shift into quality management.
I love being part of the Penn transplant team, even if the patients don't know I exist. The Quality Team and I are doing purposeful, meaningful work. To be able to contribute in even a small way that makes such a big difference in the lives of our patients is both humbling and empowering!"