Giri Venkatraman
With 15+ years of experience , I have a proven track record of implementing and executing strategy, streamlining operations, enhancing patient safety, and publishing groundbreaking research. Currently I am also serving as operations director for the Global Tracheostomy Collaborative and am serving as a mentor advising IT innovators and entrepreneurs (Guidewell, Inc.) As Associate Quality Officer at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s Division of Safety, Quality and Value focusing on peri-operative and institutional process improvement and patient safet...
Areas of Expertise
patient safety
surgeon at Dartmouth in otolaryngology. Research in quality and patient safety, blackbelt certified in process improvement and research in frailty
My Interests
- Health Sectors
- Digital Health, Health IT, Healthcare Delivery
Experience
Associate Quality Officer
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center | December 2012 - Current
Reporting directly to the Chief Quality Officer, I create our roadmap and implement safety, quality, and performance initiatives across the entire $1B academic medical organization. I also oversee all quality and safety at the Center for Perioperative Services. My key contributions to the organization have been: SURGICAL PATIENT SAFETY/PROCESS IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES: ► Lean Six Sigma Black Belt trained and involved in Yellow Belt and Green belt training programs ► Implemented surgical team training, obtaining 100% compliance with safety protocols and reducing “never events” from 1 in 5,000 to zero in last 35,000 cases. ► Boosted percentage of surgeries starting on time from 50% to 85%, and decreased average operating room turnaround from 39 to 26 minutes for same surgeon / to-follow cases. ► Launched system-wide approach to reduce surgical site infection rates. NON-SURGICAL PATIENT SAFETY/ PROCESS IMPROVEMENT INITIATIVES ► Part of team assessing mortality rates at DHMC and implementing process improvements to reduce Observed/Expected ratios ► Part of team that has attained Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers & Systems (HCAHPS) score of 75%, up from 70%. ► Developed frailty index to measure risk profile of elderly surgical patients, anticipating potential adverse issues and creating care pathway ► Developed standardized process designed to enable physicians to obtain Maintenance of Certification (MOC) IV certification VALUE CREATION / COST RATIONALIZATION ► Standardized operating room equipment and supply purchases and implemented uniform surgical case cart protocol, saving $2M+ annually. ► Selected as 1 of 30 individuals from national pool of applicants to attend Harvard Business School’s Value-Based Healthcare Delivery symposium led by Dr. Michael Porter.
Assistant Professor
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center | October 2007 - Current
-In this role, I have developed a robust clinical practice in nasal and sinus disorders, allergies, and the management of sleep disorders. Winning the Harmes Scholarship in 2008, I received a $100K research grant and published findings regarding the utilization and variability in national rates of endoscopic sinus surgeries. I also led numerous other research studies. -Starting a vestibular clinic -Research topics in include: 1. variability in sinus surgery rates, 2. use of antibiotics for sinus surgery, 3. Developing a frailty assessment to enhance safety for elderly surgical patients
Education
Emory University
MBA
Gaithersburg High School
University of Maryland, College Park