Kate Shamszad, MS, MPH, Director of the Medicaid Policy Center, a program of the Quality Institute.   As the new Director of the Medicaid Policy Center (MPC), what are your short and long-term priorities for the program? It’s been a really busy last year with the onset of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Maintaining high…Read More…

Nicholas Blanck, CRNA MSN, APN-Anesthesia, is the Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the New Jersey Association of Nurse Anesthetists (NJANA), a member of the Quality Institute’s Association Council.   Managing the pain and comfort of patients going into surgery can be challenging, especially during this pandemic. How does a nurse anesthetist ease this stress?…Read More…

Suzy Dyer, Esq., is Executive Director of the Parker Family Health Center, a member of the Quality Institute’s Consumer Council.    Parker Family Health Center provides free medical care to Monmouth County residents without health insurance. How do you financially support your work? We support our work through fund development — specifically through grants and individual…Read More…

Amy Mansue is the President and CEO of Inspira Health, a member of the Quality Institute’s Provider Council, System Level.   You stepped into the leadership role of Inspira Health in September of last year. What are your top priorities for improving quality and patient safety? The organization has been on a High Reliability journey…Read More…

Triste A. Brooks, MS, AASECT, is President and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Northern, Central and Southern New Jersey, Inc. The organization is a member of the Quality Institute’s Leadership Council.   What are some of the most common barriers your patients in New Jersey face in accessing reproductive health care? At Planned Parenthood, we…Read More…

Gary D. St. Hilaire is President and CEO of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, a member of the Quality Institute’s Leadership Council. St. Hilaire joined Horizon in April.   Horizon is moving its contracting away from fee-for-service payments to alternative payment and care models. Which models do you see the most expansion…Read More…

Elizabeth Cherot, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer of Axia Women’s Health, a member of the Quality Institute’s Provider Council. The Axia network includes OB/GYN physicians and other women’s health providers in five states, including New Jersey.   What advice about the COVID-19 vaccine are you providing to your patients who are pregnant? The American College of…Read More…

Julie Blumenfeld, CNM, is the current president of the New Jersey Affiliate of the American College of Nurse Midwives and a midwife at Capital Health, a member of the Quality Institute’s Provider Council.   How can the involvement of a midwife impact a person’s overall pregnancy experience? Midwives see pregnancy and birth as a normal,…Read More…

Darwin K. Hayes, DDS, MHA, FAGD. Dr. Hayes is the State Dental Director in the New Jersey Department of Health.   You are the first Dental Director at the Department of Health in 30 years. Can you tell us the significance of this position being filled?   There has been 30 years of unmet oral…Read More…

Rob Andrews, a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives for 24 years, currently serves as the CEO of the Health Transformation Alliance (HTA). Andrews is a board member of the Quality Institute and will be the keynote speaker at the December 1st, Quality Institute All Council Conference, Election Results 2020 Insider Briefing: Implications on Our Health Care…Read More…