Healthcare Quality Week 2026: Advancing Quality and Improving Care
14 Oct 2026
Observed October 18–24, Healthcare Quality Week recognizes the people working every day to make healthcare safer, more effective, and more responsive to the patients and communities it serves.
Quality improvement touches nearly every part of healthcare. It is reflected in the systems designed to prevent harm, the decisions leaders make about access and value, the technologies changing care delivery, and the relationships that help patients become active participants in their own health.
The following speakers bring firsthand experience to many of the challenges at the center of that work.
Healthcare Quality Week Speakers on Patient Safety, Quality Improvement, and Better Outcomes
Dr. Jerome Adams: Public Health, Prevention, and Health Access
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams connects public health and prevention with the systems-level decisions that shape healthier communities. His perspective helps healthcare audiences consider how leadership and access influence outcomes both inside and beyond traditional care settings.
Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal: Healthcare Costs, Value, and Patient-Centered Care
Physician, journalist, and healthcare author Dr. Elisabeth Rosenthal examines the forces driving the cost of American healthcare and what those pressures mean for patients. She challenges audiences to think more critically about value and how healthcare systems can better serve the people relying on them.
Robert “Navy Bob” Roncska: High Reliability, Safety, and Accountability
Former Navy submarine commander Robert “Navy Bob” Roncska brings principles from high-reliability environments into healthcare. His work focuses on strengthening trust and accountability so teams can reduce risk, improve safety, and deliver more reliable patient care.
Dr. Leana Wen: Public Health, Innovation, and the Future of Care
Physician and healthcare executive Dr. Leana Wen brings a practical perspective to the changing healthcare landscape. She explores public health, access, workforce well-being, and emerging approaches to care delivery, helping audiences consider how healthcare can respond more effectively to evolving needs.
Laura Adams: Quality Improvement, Human-Centered Design, and Digital Health
Digital health and quality improvement expert Laura Adams helps healthcare organizations use continuous improvement and human-centered design to make care safer. Her work also examines how emerging technologies can support better systems without losing sight of the people those systems are designed to serve.
Dr. Owais Durrani: AI, Innovation, and Trust in Healthcare
Emergency physician and health technology leader Dr. Owais Durrani explores how innovation can strengthen care while addressing persistent gaps in health outcomes. His perspective on AI, access, and trust helps healthcare audiences think more carefully about how new technologies are introduced and used.
Dr. Esther Choo: Frontline Care, Workplace Culture, and Patient Safety
Emergency physician and health policy researcher Dr. Esther Choo combines frontline experience with data-driven insight into the conditions that shape healthcare. Her work explores safer workplaces, organizational culture, and the connection between supporting healthcare teams and improving the care patients receive.
Samantha Harris: Prevention, Patient Advocacy, and Proactive Health
Breast cancer survivor and certified health coach Samantha Harris encourages audiences to take a more active role in their own health. Drawing from personal experience, she brings prevention and patient advocacy into conversations about how people navigate healthcare and make sustainable choices over time.
Keeping Better Care at the Center
Healthcare quality is ultimately reflected in what patients experience and the outcomes organizations are able to improve. Progress depends on a willingness to examine familiar systems, learn from what is working, and continue asking how care can become safer and more effective.
Healthcare Quality Week offers an opportunity to recognize the professionals leading that work while also creating conversations about where healthcare goes next.