On July 1, 2024, David Taylor, MD, will take over as Patient Safety and Quality Lead in the Department of Psychiatry.
The lead will, among other things, analyze service quality, implement QI projects, and seek opportunities to improve patient safety. Lauren Edwards, MD, is the first and current lead for Patient Safety and Quality. She said she’s incredibly pleased to be succeeded by Dr. Taylor, a board-certified C/L psychiatrist.
“It has been very clear from the start of his time in our department that he has a mind for health systems and process-analysis that can be so key to supporting best quality care for providers, staff, and patients,” she said. “Dr. Taylor is a great collaborator and a champion of evidence-based practice. I know he will help us advance our cultural goals of always trying to improve while understanding that ‘to err is human.’ I really look forward to helping him make this transition smoothly while also allowing him to innovate and make the role even more effective.”
Dr. Edwards said that while transitioning out of the PSQ lead role, she does not see her work in patient safety and quality finished.
“Dr. Donald Berwick, who wrote the escape fire speech for which our PSQ award was named, said that ‘Everyone in healthcare has two jobs when they come to work; to do their work and to improve it.’”
Dr. Taylor said it was an easy decision to succeed Dr. Edwards.
“I have always been interested in both quality improvement and patient safety. During my PhD training, I did a lot of evaluation, which is the scientific process of using metrics and data to ensure that interventions have the outcomes we hope that they will. I believe that is a lot of what quality improvement is. It felt natural that I would be involved in patient safety and quality improvement in my career as a psychiatrist. I’m particularly excited about working with trainees, staff, and faculty in this role to empower them to solve the problems they encounter daily.”
Along with his work in both the inpatient and outpatient divisions, Dr. Taylor also is a leader for the Psychiatry Consultation Clinic (PCC), which does C/L work in an outpatient setting.
“Dr. Taylor showed great leadership in the PCC model for primary care access, and he will continue a proud legacy from Dr. Lauren Edwards,” said Howard Liu, MD, MBA, Department of Psychiatry Chair. “I’m excited to see Dr. Taylor leading the quality team.”
David Cates, Vice-Chair for Clinical Services, announced Dr. Taylor as PSQ lead on Feb. 23, 2024.
“Through his work on the C-L service and his leadership of the PCC initiative, Dr. Taylor has distinguished himself as a skilled leader with strengths in developing and refining clinical workflows, interdisciplinary collaboration, and effective use of data to inform quality improvement activities,” Dr. Cates said. “In the coming months, Drs. Edwards and Taylor will work together to ensure a smooth transition of PSQ leadership responsibilities.”