"PHMI offers a fantastic opportunity to take the best practices of quality improvement into the global arena. As health care recognizes that continuous process improvement (CPI) is the foundation for outstanding patient care, the demand is high for a robust, user-friendly CPI approach that extends beyond accreditation. I’m excited about taking our approach to global projects where leadership is interested and committed to pushing the CPI envelope."
Dr. Rick van Pelt joined Partners Harvard Medical International in 2008. He works with PHMI team members and faculty on programs focused on quality improvement and patient safety. He brings to these collaborations a rich background in the delivery of acute care, perioperative, and surgical and minimally invasive care services, as well as expertise in change management with an emphasis on systems-thinking and human dynamics.
Prior to joining PHMI, Dr. van Pelt served in both clinical and administrative roles in the anesthesia department of the Brigham & Women’s Hospital. While at the Brigham he was active in helping to develop and improve the hospital’s anesthesia services, particularly in the areas of minimally invasive services and Out-of-OR anesthesia.
Throughout his medical training and career, he has maintained an interest in improving patient care and service. To this end he has published and presented widely on patient safety and quality improvement, participated in numerous initiatives and groups focused on patient care improvement, and consulted internationally on quality and policy issues. He is a co-founder of the Clinician Peer Support Service at the Brigham, a service dedicated to providing support to care providers following adverse medical events, and is the former Chairman of the Board for Medically Induced Trauma Support Services (MITTS).
Dr. van Pelt, a graduate of Amherst College in Massachusetts, received his medical degree from the University of Massachusetts Medical School, and also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School. He is Instructor of Anesthesiology at Harvard Medical School.