DoM Quality Symposium

The Pulse of Progress: Why Quality Is Healthcare’s Vital Sign

Wednesday, October 22
8:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center
B-130 Tamkin Auditorium

Click Here to Register to Attend

Program Description 

The symposium will bring together thought leaders, clinicians, staff, and trainees to explore why quality is healthcare’s most critical vital sign. Through TED-style presentations, keynote insights, and interactive discussions, participants will discover how innovative strategies, behavioral science, and data-driven approaches are shaping the future of care delivery. The program highlights real-world examples from ambulatory and inpatient settings and showcases advances in care delivery, research, and education. Attendees will leave with actionable insights to strengthen systems and foster collaboration across UCLA Health and beyond.

Objectives

By the end of this symposium, participants will be able to identify and apply 1-3 actionable insights along the following learning objectives:

• Recognize why quality is a core driver of healthcare outcomes and organizational performance in today's evolving landscape.
• Explore innovative strategies and behavioral best practices that have been successfully implemented across care settings.
• Engage with peers to exchange ideas, foster collaboration, and build capacity for advancing quality and equity in healthcare delivery.

Schedule

08:00 AM–08:30 AM
Registration Check-in

08:30 AM– 08:45 AM
Introduction and Welcome
Anna Dermenchyan, PhD, RN, CCRN, CPHQ
Maria Han, MD, MBA, MS
Robert A. Cherry, MD, MS, FACS, FACHE

08:45 AM–09:20 AM
AI, Quality, and the Future of Healthcare: From Data to Purpose
Keynote by Nasim Afsar, MD, MBA, Health Tech Executive and Former Chief Health Officer of Oracle Health

09:20 AM–10:20 AM
Ambulatory Care Quality 
Session 1: Closing the Gap: From Quality Metrics to Meaningful Outcomes
Presenters: Jeff Fujimoto, MD, MBA; Sylvia Lambrechts, MPH, MA, CPHQ, CLHP
Session 2: The Heart of the Matter: Transforming Cardiovascular Care through Incentives and Innovation
Presenters: Pooya Bokhoor, MD; David Cho, MD, MBA
Session 3: IMPACT in Action: Team-Based Care to Reduce Burnout and Elevate Care
Presenters: Nika Harutyunyan, MD, CPHQ; Cory Hedwall, MBA, CPHQ

10:20 AM–10:30 AM:  Break

10:30 AM–11:30 AM
Inpatient Care Quality 
Session 4: Building an Inpatient Quality Portfolio: Peer Alignment and Data-Driven Learning
Presenters: Erin Dowling, MD, FACP, CPHQ; Maryann Elegonye, BAS
Session 5: Rapid Mortality Review: Real-Time Learning Through Clinical Debriefing
Presenters: Wendy Simon, MD, FHM, CPHQ; Fran Schiff, BSN, RN, CPHQ
Session 6: The Next Day Clinic: Rethinking Hospitalization Through Next-Day Care
Presenters: Richard Leuchter, MD; Danielle Seiden, MPP, PMP, CCRC, CSSGB, CGW

11:30 AM–12:30 PM
Research & Education 
Session 7: Let’s THINQ About It: A New Generation of Quality Innovators
Presenters: Sristi Palimar, BS; Michael Lim
Session 8: The Power of Peer Coaching: Building Resilience and Belonging
Presenters: Slava Gofnung, MD, CPHQ; Carolyn Goh, MD, FAAD
Session 9: Making the Right Choice the Easy Choice: Leveraging Behavioral Interventions in Healthcare  Presenter: Hengchen Dai, PhD

12:30 PM–01:00 PM
Closing Remarks, Lunch, and Networking