Experienced Educator and Social-work Professional to Support a Culture of Passion for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare throughout UTMB

Galveston, Texas – Dec. 14, 2010 – The Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare, located on the campus of the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas, today announced the appointment of Meredith Masel, as program manager. A longtime educator and social-work professional, Masel will provide leadership and management of the day-to-day operations for patient safety and quality improvement projects.

Founded by Dr. Carolyn J Oliver, the Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare, which is part of a constellation of services and programs offered by the Cautious Patient Foundation, was dedicated in 2008 with the intent of promoting patient-centered care and addressing the needs and desires of patients and their families.

“Dr. Masel brings a tremendous level of knowledge, expertise and years of practical training to our team,” said Oliver, the founder of the Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare. “She is a valuable addition, and we are extremely excited about the level at which she’ll be able to contribute to the work we are doing.” The center supports and coordinates projects throughout UTMB to maximize patient safety and improve the quality of care.

Masel will facilitate Oliver Center quality improvements, manage day-to-day operations and create and develop appropriate projects for the Center to lead. She will support a culture of passion for patient safety and quality healthcare throughout UTMB.

Prior to her appointment, Masel was the program manager of the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities in Galveston, and is an assistant professor at the Departments of Rehabilitation Sciences & Preventative Medicine and Community Health at UTMB.

“For me, this appointment is the culmination of my years as a health researcher and social worker,” said Masel. “The potential that I see in working with Dr. Oliver and the Oliver Center for patient safety and advocacy is endless.”

Other positions Masel has held include Kempner Scholar at UTMB, working to improve the health of Mexican-Americans; social work curriculum coordinator at the UTMB East Texas Geriatric Education Center; social-work consultant for the Lance Armstrong Foundation; and in various roles as a researcher and teaching/graduate assistant.

As a principal research investigator, Masel brings a long list of research activities and experience to her new role at the Oliver Center. She has held coordinator and fellowship posts with a host of research projects funded by the Health Research and Services Administration as well as the National Institutes of Health, including the East Texas Geriatric Education Center, Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Research, Health of Older Minorities and Health Concordance of Older Mexican American Couples.

Masel is well-published with significant work in peer-reviewed journals, manuscripts, book chapters, dissertations and other publications. In addition, Masel served as a manuscript reviewer for various journals and publications. She is also a prominent program presenter and active national committee chair and member for a host of organizations including the American Public Health Association, the Gerontological Society of America, and the United Way of Galveston.

A recipient of several national scholarships, awards and fellowships, Masel is also currently a member of the National Association of Social Workers and the Population Association of America.

The Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare
The Oliver Center for Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare was dedicated in 2008 with the intent of promoting patient-centered care, which addresses the needs and wants of patients and their families. Dr. Carolyn J. Oliver made this center possible through a $2 million pledge, her personal convictions, and her passion in patient safety and quality healthcare, born from her training and personal experience. The center supports and coordinates projects throughout UTMB to maximize patient safety and improve the quality of care. For more information, please visit http://www.utmb.edu/olivercenter.

ABOUT UTMB Health
Established in 1891, Texas’ first academic health center comprises four health sciences schools, three institutes for advanced study, a research enterprise that includes one of only two national laboratories dedicated to the safe study of infectious threats to human health, and a health system offering a full range of primary and specialized medical services throughout Galveston County and the Texas Gulf Coast region. UTMB Health is a component of the University of Texas System.