Seasoned healthcare executive Nicole Hedderich, MHA, BSN, RN, CPHQ has been promoted to Associate Vice President of Quality & Risk Management at CalvertHealth Medical Center (CHMC). Hedderich, who has nearly 25 years of experience in health care including 12 years in leadership positions, will oversee the medical center’s quality and patient safety efforts.
Hedderich joined CHMC in 2015 as the director of quality management and went on to become executive director. During her tenure, the medical center has earned a number of significant patient awards including a top performer award by The Joint Commission. The medical center also has one of the lowest mortality/highest survivability and low admission rates in the state. Earlier this month, US News & World Report ranked CHMC a high performer in cardiology &heart surgery for heart failure as well as pulmonary & lung surgery for COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease).
Most recently, Hedderich led the multidisciplinary task force at CHMC whose responsibility was to ensure the medical center’s leadership had the clinical information needed to launch a timely and effective response to the coronavirus outbreak in Calvert County.
Commenting on her promotion, CalvertHealth CEO and President Dean Teague said, “Nicole brings a broad level of clinical and management experience to the team. She has been incredibly effective in our process improvement efforts and making sure CalvertHealth Medical Center is providing the best and safest medical care to our community.”
Chief Operating Officer Tony Bladen who oversees quality, safety and risk management stated, “She has displayed exceptional leadership abilities throughout her five years with CalvertHealth and has been an especially invaluable resource throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.”
In her new role, Hedderich will oversee organization-wide performance improvement related to risk management and quality and infection prevention while ensuring all programs reflect CalvertHealth’s commitment to patient safety. She is also responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance with state and federal agencies as well as accreditation with The Joint Commission.
Hedderich was recognized for her contributions to providing a safer environment for patients when she received the health system’s Excellence in Leadership Award in 2019. The award is presented to a department head that exemplifies outstanding leadership skills and inspires others. This month she was honored by the Healthcare Council for the National Capital Area in recognition of her exceptional quality of service, commitment to creating efficiencies and dedication to improving processes and contributing to customer satisfaction.
She holds a bachelor’s in nursing, a master’s in health administration and is a certified professional in healthcare quality. Hedderich resides in St. Mary’s County with her husband and two sons.
