Health Quality Innovators
Making a lasting difference
We come from careers in hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies and physician practices. We care about our country’s health system and the lives it touches. At Health Quality Innovators (HQI), we are motivated by opportunities to make widespread, lasting change that improves outcomes for millions of patients and families.
Our Values
The work we perform for our clients is guided by four core values.
(Hover over each box for details.)
Creativity
We Are CreativeHQI explores challenges from every angle to suggest fresh approaches and new possibilities. We keep up with technology and its applications to health care problem solving. We are open to the unexpected and to how it can illuminate the quality journey.
Integrity
We Tell the TruthHQI is a reliable, objective resource. We handle health care data and other sensitive information with the utmost confidentiality. We tell the truth and keep our promises because it is what our clients deserve—and it is the right thing to do.
Teamwork
We Work TogetherHQI believes that health care is a team sport. We partner with other organizations that share our quality improvement goals because together we all can go further, faster. We work collaboratively with our clients, and we support that work with multidisciplinary project teams.
Excellence
We Go Above & BeyondHQI takes responsibility for remaining current with the best thinking in quality improvement, patient care and the business of health care. Our team members are professionals who take pride in their work.
Our Leadership
With more than 200 collective years of experience, backed by advanced degrees and pertinent professional credentials, HQI’s leadership team knows how to deliver value. Our leaders understand the challenges that clients face because they come from the real worlds of business and health. When you work with us, you work directly with one of them.
Board of Directors
HQI is governed by a board of directors that includes up to 10 voting members who represent Medicare consumers, senior advocates, physicians, providers, health policymakers and insurers.
 |
Dr. Proctor is Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives and President of the National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) Innovation Center. In addition to previous leadership roles at NCPA, which represents the nation’s more than 23,000 independent pharmacies, he has served as the National Association of Chain Drug Stores’ (NACDS) Senior Vice President of Pharmacy and led the NACDS Foundation. Dr. Proctor also has worked as an independent consultant on pharmacy practice, quality improvement, health information technology, care coordination and medication therapy management. As an HQI Pharmacist Consultant from 2009-2011, he led a successful improvement initiative that reduced drug-drug interactions for older adults in the primary care setting. Dr. Proctor earned his bachelor’s degree in Pharmacy from Ferris State University and both his master’s and doctorate in Pharmacy Administration from The University of Texas at Austin. His current term expires in 2025. |
 |
Mr. Porter is Senior Vice President of Government Relations for the American Health Care Association (AHCA), the nation’s largest association of long-term and post-acute care providers. He has over 30 years of experience in health care management, advocacy and long-term care operations. Prior to joining AHCA, Mr. Porter held leadership roles at two nursing home corporations, HCR ManorCare and Medical Facilities of America. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Health Care Management from Virginia Commonwealth University. Mr. Porter joined the Board in 2018. His current term expires in 2026. |
 |
Prior to retiring in 2014, Ms. Parrott was a partner at Ernst & Young in the Health Care Advisory Services practice based in Columbus, Ohio. She spent her entire professional career of 29 years at Ernst & Young where she held numerous roles. Ms. Parrott has experience participating in and directing many health care reimbursement, strategy, financial management and analysis, reimbursement, financial feasibility, facility consolidation, compliance and revenue management projects. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Planning and Administration from the Pennsylvania State University and her Master of Health Administration from the Ohio State University. Her current term ends in 2028. |
|
Jessica Mittler, PhD |
|
F. Ellen Netting, PhD |
|
Jerry Slaughter |
|
Lindsey Vaughn, MD |
|
Kellee White Whilby, PhD, MPH |
As an organization committed to sound governance, HQI has adopted practices designed to promote a healthy board. These include three-year terms, a limit of two successive terms and a $200 per meeting cap on compensation for members who are not HQI team members. New appointments are made in January. On average, HQI appoints one to two board members each year.
