Welcome to the UAB Department of OB/GYN Quality and Safety website. As vice chair of Quality and Patient Safety for the department, I would like to share with you an overview of our program.

Our vision is to be regarded within the state as the OB/GYN provider of choice for delivering the highest quality care. In alignment with UAB Medicine and national patient safety initiatives, we strive to eliminate preventable adverse events that cause harm to patients and to achieve the best possible patient outcomes in an efficient manner. Our comprehensive approach includes team-based care, education, and collaborative problem-solving that is driven by patient experience, provider input, and comprehensive data collection in the inpatient and outpatient settings.

Quality and safety plays an integral role among all facets within OB/GYN. We span the breadth of education, research, and clinical care. Both residents and fellows play an important role in the data collection, planning, and intervention that drives successful quality and safety initiatives. Their involvement ranges from participation at the departmental level QI conference through the design and implementation of specific quality and safety projects. Our research within OB/GYN drives some quality initiatives, and our collection and analysis of data help support and influence research. The main focus of our work is high-quality patient care and satisfaction. Our quality and safety team strives to lead patient safety at UAB, across the state, and nationally.

Our Executive Quality Committee is the backbone of our process. We bring together excellent clinicians and nurses in order to set the course for quality and safety in the department and health system committees. We have active representation at all levels within the health system. As a committee, we determine the main priorities for the department, leading to new initiatives that benefit our patients across the spectrum. In addition, we participate in UAB Medicine committees in order to share our work and determine best practices.

Our greatest asset is our community of faculty, fellows, residents, students, and nurses - a group of truly exceptional individuals who demonstrate a sustained commitment to high-quality patient care, exemplary professional standards, and unparalleled ethics. Equipped with these values, we provide compassionate, high-quality care to our patients.

J. Michael Straughn, Jr., M.D.