SEATTLE, April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualis Health announced that its President and CEO, Jonathan Sugarman, M.D., M.P.H., has assumed the role of President of the American Health Quality Association (AHQA). AHQA is a not- for-profit national membership association dedicated to healthcare quality improvement through community-based, independent quality evaluation and improvement programs.
“The national community of quality improvement organizations (QIOs) is very fortunate to have a recognized leader in health care quality improvement stepping into the role of AHQA President,” said David Schulke, executive vice president of AHQA. “Dr. Sugarman has served as an advisor to the Institute of Medicine on chronic care management, a leader of a national project to reduce surgical infections in hospitals, and the director of key initiatives to support Medicare’s creation of a kidney dialysis center quality performance website.
“AHQA’s staff is looking forward to working with Dr. Sugarman as the Association’s new leader at a time when the challenges and opportunities to improve quality of care could not be greater,” Schulke added.
AHQA represents Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and professionals working to improve health care quality and patient safety. The organization maintains a close working relationship with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the Department of Health and Human Services, the National Quality Forum, major professional medical and health care associations, and the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission -- serving as a professional resource and as a partner on projects. AHQA regularly works with lawmakers, regulators, health care providers, purchasers, and consumers to advocate the policies of the Association and to gain support and visibility for the goals and accomplishments of its members.
“Providers, consumers, policymakers and the media are paying more attention to healthcare quality than ever before,” said Dr. Sugarman. “We have a great opportunity to work together to make significant strides in the quality and cost of healthcare for consumers in the United States.”
“I’m very enthusiastic about working with AHQA members and healthcare leaders throughout the nation to improve quality of care and quality of life,” Dr. Sugarman added.
Jonathan Sugarman bio:
Jonathan R. Sugarman, MD, MPH is President and CEO of Qualis Health, an independent, private not-for-profit health care quality improvement organization headquartered in Seattle. Under his leadership, Qualis Health has become a national leader in the generation, application, and dissemination of knowledge to improve the quality of healthcare delivery and health outcomes. Qualis Health holds the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization contracts for Alaska, Idaho, and Washington. Dr. Sugarman has served as an advisor for numerous government and private sector quality initiatives, and has authored over 75 papers and book chapters. He has conducted research and led quality improvement initiatives related to a broad range of acute and chronic conditions, with particular emphasis on diabetes mellitus, health problems of American Indians, and quality of care among Medicare beneficiaries.
A graduate of Harvard College, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and the University of Washington School of Public Health and Community Medicine, he is president-elect of the American Health Quality Association. Recent awards include the Vision Award from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Improving Chronic Illness Care National Program Office, and the Talbot Award for Compassion, Empathy and Clinical Excellence from the Seattle Indian Health Board. He was named by the World Health Organization as a member of its Network of Innovators. Dr. Sugarman is a Clinical Professor in the Departments of Family Medicine and Epidemiology at the University of Washington.
About Qualis Health
Qualis Health is dedicated to improving the quality of healthcare delivery and health outcomes for individuals and populations across the nation. In operation since 1974, the non-profit, healthcare quality improvement organization (QIO) is headquartered in Seattle, Washington and has offices in Idaho and Alaska.
Contact: Todd Langton
206-364-9700 ext. 2460
Qualis Health
CONTACT: Todd Langton, +1-206-364-9700, ext. 2460, for Qualis Health
Web site: http://www.qualishealth.org/