People
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Gail M. Amundson, MD, FACPPresident and CEOEmail: gamundson@qualityquest.org |
"Measuring and reporting health care information is critically important because what gets measured, gets improved."—Dr. Gail Amundson
As President and CEO of Quality Quest for Health of Illinois, Gail Amundson, MD, FACP, leads its mission to achieve exceptional patient service and outcomes by serving as a catalyst for healthcare transformation. A healthcare collaborative for the state of Illinois, Quest is focused on healthy people and high value healthcare.
Poised for dramatic change, healthcare needs a strong foundation of evidence-based care standards, measurement, reporting of performance and clinician leadership. Quality Quest for Health of Illinois is committed to working jointly with clinicians, employers, payers and patients to affect lasting, healing change in healthcare.
Dr. Amundson is a recognized leader and innovator. She served as HealthPartners Medical Director for Quality, Measurement and Provider Incentives, where she was effective working with and motivating physicians throughout Minnesota to improve patient outcomes. Her pioneering measurement work is endorsed in the Institute of Medicine Report Performance Measurement: Accelerating Improvement. Her program won The National Quality Forum prestigious 2007 NQF Healthcare Quality Award and The National Business Group on Health 2006 Award for Excellence and Innovation in Value Purchasing. Dr. Amundson is a principle founder of MN Community Measurement, a statewide collaborative reporting quality information of provider groups (http://www.mnhealthcare.org/). She served as co-chair of the Minnesota Bridges to Excellence Guiding Coalition and received the inaugural Minnesota Community Measurement 2007 Quality Measurement Leadership Award.
Dr. Amundson is board certified in internal medicine and holds a certificate of added proficiency in geriatrics. She serves on the National Quality Forum (NQF) Consensus Standards Approval Committee, the American College of Physicians Subcommittee on Performance Measurement, and the NQF Composite Measures Steering Committee. She has served on committees for the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Committee for Quality Assurance, the Joint Commission, the American Medical Association Physician Consortium for Performance Improvement, and the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund. Dr. Amundson is a sought-after public speaker on healthcare transformation, measurement, public reporting and provider incentives. She is a fellow of the American College of Physicians.
Education
Bachelor of Arts in Molecular Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Doctor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine, Madison
Internship at Abbott-Northwestern Hospital, Minneapolis, Minn.
Residency at University of Minnesota Hospitals and Clinics, Minneapolis, Minn.
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David Burkitt, PhDChief Operating OfficerPhone: 309-282-8822 |
David Burkitt, PhD is the Chief Operating Officer, responsible for overall administration and business operations. Burkitt works to ensure that the organization operates smoothly and effectively, in compliance with 501(c)(3) regulations.
Burkitt has more than 20 years’ experience in financial management and organizational development. He most recently worked as Director of Fiscal and Administrative Services at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Los Angeles. He holds a PhD in Leadership and Organizational Development from Regent University in Virginia Beach, VA, and an MBA from Regis University in Denver, CO.
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Bonnie ParisProgram Development ManagerPhone: 309-282-8830 |
Bonnie Paris is the Program Development Manager, responsible for planning, implementing, and leading Quest’s quality improvement program, grant procurement, product development, and strategic projects.
Paris has experience in healthcare process improvement from her past position as a 6 Sigma Process Engineer at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. She holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from Bradley University. She is currently working on her PhD in Industrial and Systems Engineering at the University of Wisconsin, where she most recently worked as a research assistant for the university’s Center for Quality and Productivity Improvement. She has also taught business administration courses at Midstate College and a course in industrial and manufacturing engineering at Bradley University.
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Julie GrayCommunications ManagerPhone: 309-282-8825 |
Julie Gray is the Communications Manager, with responsibility for overall marketing strategy, brand awareness and internal/external communications. Gray has more than 20 years of experience in the communications arena and most recently ran her own business, Publicity Pro. She provided services to clients in the areas of promotions strategy, publicity campaigns, media relations, public relations services, marketing services, advertising, creative copywriting and event planning.
Gray has extensive experience in healthcare public relations and event promotion. She started the Community Relations Office at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria in 1990 and the Office of Continuing Medical Education in 1994, and worked at the College for eight years. Prior to that, she was the public relations coordinator at the Community Hospital of Ottawa.
Gray received a BS degree in Mass Communications from Illinois State University. She is a member of the Public Relations Association and founded a networking group for freelance communications professionals in 2000 called SPARK Freelance.
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Joy DulingProgram DirectorPhone: 309-282-8829 |
Joy Duling is Program Director for the central and southern regional satellite offices of the Illinois Health Information Technology Regional Extension Center (IL-HITREC). She manages the team of specialists who work with small primary care practices to select and implement certified electronic health record (EHR) systems.
Duling brings more than 10 years of experience as a Program Manager for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS), where she served as the key point of contact for the Best Practice/SACWIS Implementation Project and was responsible for maintaining focus on the project status, priorities and needs. Duling also served as a Program Manager for the Office of Research and Development, where she was responsible for key projects with emphasis on using data systems to improve operations.
Duling has served as primary author for a number of reports and publications. She received the Ronald W. Reagan Fellowship for demonstrated leadership and academic success. Duling is also currently the Managing Director of A 25 Hour Day, LLC. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Eureka College and her Master of Social Work, specializing in Policy, Planning and Administration, from the University of Illinois.
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Katie HeskettClinical LiaisonPhone: 309-282-8827 |
Katie Heskett is a Clinical Liaison with the IL-HITREC central region satellite office housed at Quality Quest who works with central Illinois medical practices to adopt, implement, and effectively use certified Electronic Health Records (EHR) technology. She works with practice managers, clinic staff, billing representatives, and physicians to successfully plan, coordinate, and implement an EHR, as well as assists practices with workflow redesign and helps them develop required quality reports.
Heskett brings several years experience as a technical trainer and systems analyst from the Air Force to her new position. She most recently supported more than 400 healthcare professionals at Scott Air Force Base with the Department of Defense electronic medical records system. She received a master’s degree in Workforce Education and Development from Southern Illinois University and a bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Western Illinois University.
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Brenda SimmsImplementation SpecialistPhone: 309-282-8828 |
Brenda Simms, RN, BSN, an Implementation Specialist with the IL-HITREC central region satellite office housed at Quality Quest, works with practice managers, clinic staff, billing representatives, and physicians to successfully plan, coordinate, and implement an electronic health record (EHR) system, as well as assist practices with workflow redesign and help them develop required quality reports.
Simms’ background includes 20 years experience with EHR systems in both the in-patient and ambulatory setting. Her expertise in work flow processes and technical solutions is important to the work she will be doing with central Illinois medical practices.
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Tracey ArahoodProject CoordinatorPhone: 309-282-8820 |
Tracey Arahood is a Project Coordinator and 6 Sigma Green Belt at Quality Quest with responsibility for the coordination of multiple project components such as data collection, analysis, and program implementation. She worked most recently at Easter Seals Peoria-Bloomington where she served as a Lead Green Belt on several projects such as implementation of the Electronic Practice Management System and revising agency policies and procedures. Arahood received a bachelor’s degree in Social Work from Bradley University in 2001.
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Marianne PayneCommunication SpecialistPhone: 309-282-8832Email: mpayne@qualityquest.org |
Marianne Payne is a Communication Specialist at Quest, with responsibility for the organization's social media outreach and assisting with other marketing and public relations activities. She worked most recently as a Communication Specialist for Axis, Inc., providing internal communication for the engineering staff at Caterpillar, Inc.’s Mossville Engine Center. She has also worked as a reporter for the Peoria Times Observer. She received her bachelor’s degree in communication from Bradley University and a master’s degree in communication from the University of Illinois, Springfield.
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Linnet GrazeExecutive Adminstrative Asst.Phone: 309-282-8821Email: lgraze@qualityquest.org |
Linnet Graze is the Executive Administrative Assistant at Quality Quest and works closely with the organization's CEO and COO. She brings a wealth of administrative experience to her position, most recently at a local law firm and with many years of service at the U of I College of Medicine at Peoria and UIC College of Nursing.
