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Karen Feinstein

President and CEO at Jewish Healthcare Foundation

Karen Wolk Feinstein, PhD, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation (JHF), a role she has held for over three decades. Under her leadership, JHF has focused on various critical areas including patient safety, healthcare quality improvement, workforce development, and healthcare innovation. She is recognized as a national thought leader in these fields and frequently presents at both national and international conferences.12

Background and Contributions::

  • Leadership Roles: Feinstein also oversees JHF's operating arms, which include the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative (PRHI) and Health Careers Futures (HCF) .12
  • Publications and Academic Involvement: She has authored numerous publications on healthcare quality and safety, served as an editor for the Urban & Social Change Review, and edited the book Moving Beyond Repair: Perfecting Health Care. Additionally, she has taught at institutions such as Boston College, Carnegie Mellon University, and the University of Pittsburgh.23
  • Recognition: Feinstein was named to the Pittsburgh Business Times "Power 100 List," highlighting her influence in the region's healthcare landscape.4

Her work emphasizes a commitment to improving healthcare systems and patient safety through innovative solutions and collaborative efforts across various sectors of the healthcare industry.

Highlights

May 21 · linkedin

Last night, our local ABC affiliate featured a story about current negative patient safety trends in the region that are also reflective of the national trends. We’re grateful for WTAE Hearst Pittsburgh’s attention and in-depth reporting on patient safety. In our many decades focused on patient safety, there’s never been a time of greater need to cover it. Our partner, fellow patient safety advocate and Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative Board member, Paul Phrampus, MD, MBA, CPE, covers both contemporary patient safety challenges and innovative solutions using simulation technology.

The story doesn’t nail the scope and subtleties of the National Patient Safety Board (NPSB), a proposed independent federal board housed in the Department of Health and Human Services. It does raise awareness of the legislation and our campaign to establish a national center of research and development for patient safety. As designed, the NPSB wouldn’t investigate individual sentinel events as the story suggests, but the NPSB will seek innovative solutions to prevent our major categories of harm. May media coverage like this continue to build momentum toward action: establishing the NPSB and incentivizing regional safety tech discovery.

National Patient Safety Board Advocacy Coalition

May 3 · linkedin

When we started the Pittsburgh Regional Health Initiative back in 1997, our goal was to make Pittsburgh the global leader in patient safety. Wednesday's report from The Leapfrog Group names our region as #40. This is not where we want to be and is not an acceptable number.

Our nation is broadly on a trajectory that has not achieved much in terms of systemic improvements in safety. It is time for Pittsburgh to take real leadership in patient safety. I have great hope the ingredients for improvement are here in our region. We have safety leaders in other industries, we have the tech and academic expertise, we have investments from DOD and DARPA, we have some patient safety tech pioneers, and we have the potential for new collaborations and breakthroughs. It will take a commitment, but in the next five to ten years I want to see Pittsburgh #1 on this list and having an impact that raises all boats toward less preventable harm.

Related Questions

What are some of the key initiatives Dr. Karen Wolk Feinstein has led at the Jewish Healthcare Foundation?
How has Dr. Feinstein's leadership impacted patient safety and healthcare quality improvement?
What are the three operating arms of the Jewish Healthcare Foundation?
Can you provide examples of Dr. Feinstein's contributions to healthcare innovation?
What is the National Patient Safety Board Act, and how does it relate to Dr. Feinstein's work?
Karen Feinstein
Karen Feinstein, photo 1
Karen Feinstein, photo 2
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Location

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States