USA Health announces new roles in Department of Quality and Safety

By Carol McPhail
[email protected]

As part of USA Health’s continuing efforts toward becoming a high-reliability organization, the health system has announced new roles within the Department of Quality and Safety.

Kristen Noles, DNP, CNL, has been named director of quality and performance improvement for USA Health. Noles had previously served as performance improvement manager.

Becky Pomrenke, MSN, RN, CNL, CNS, formerly patient safety manager, has been appointed director of patient safety for the health system.

Stephanie Grabowsky, formerly data integrity supervisor, has been named data integrity manager for the health system.

“These individuals represent a dedicated and experienced team that has demonstrated a deep commitment to improving quality and safety at USA Health,” said Rachel T. Seaman, M.D., FACP, health system associate chief medical officer and chief quality officer for medicine. “Each has made significant contributions in their prior roles, and their new positions will allow them to continue driving excellence in patient care, safety, and performance improvement across the health system.”

The new appointments reflect an expansion and reorganization for the Department of Quality and Safety, leaders said.

“These roles further unite our three hospitals – Providence Hospital, University Hospital and Children’s & Women’s Hospital – under one umbrella for patient quality, performance improvement, and safety to better standardize the delivery of care,” said Nathan Polite, D.O., FACS, FACOS, health system associate chief medical officer and chief quality officer for surgery.

The new appointees will lead projects for enhancing patient safety protocols, improving data integrity, developing targeted strategies for quality improvement, and ensuring compliance with safety standards, working closely with the medical staff. “These individuals will also be instrumental in refining and expanding training programs for staff and developing systems to measure, monitor, and respond to quality and safety outcomes across the organization,” Seaman said.

In 2023, Seaman and Polite were named to the newly created roles of chief quality officers for the health system as part of USA Health’s efforts to implement the appropriate structures and processes to move the health system toward becoming a high reliability organization.

“At USA Health, we define high reliability as ‘performance as intended, consistent over time,’” said Michael Chang, M.D., system chief medical officer and associate vice president for medical affairs, who has championed quality initiatives since joining the health system in 2018. “We have made great progress in this space but – like all organizations – will always be on this journey.”