About Us

Since 1974, Quality Health Associates (QHA) of North Dakota has collaborated with healthcare professionals, organizations, and communities across the state to improve the quality of care provided to the people of North Dakota. QHA works toward this goal through a number of contracts, partnerships, and initiatives. The goal of QHA is to improve the quality of care for the people of North Dakota by successfully balancing the needs of providers, consumers, stakeholders, and payers.

Mission

To facilitate accelerated improvement of health care outcomes through collaboration with health care providers and systems.

Vision

Become the go-to organization for healthcare improvement.

QHA is governed and staffed by a team of physicians, nurses, analysts, statisticians, IT specialists, and other allied healthcare professionals. QHA uses data-driven, result-oriented processes and tools to improve healthcare quality and patient safety. QHA areas of expertise include:

  • Quality improvement methodologies
  • Lean process improvement
  • Health Information Technology & Electronic Medical Record (HIT/EMR) consultation
  • Health Information Technology Services
  • Group facilitation
  • Data analytics

Judy Beck, RN, MSN, Quality Improvement Program Director

Nathan Brintnell, Programmer/Security Analyst

Richard Bubach, MSA, Chief Executive Officer

Jonathan Gardner, Network Administrator

Natasha Green, RN, BSN, MBA, CMS Quality Program Director

Christi Hoffman, Finance Manager

Jenifer Lauckner, RN, Quality Improvement Specialist

Michelle Lauckner, RN-BA, RAC-CT, IP-BC, Quality Improvement Specialist

Lorrie Lendvoy, MS, Statistician

Nikki Medalen, MS, RN, APHN-BC, Quality Improvement Specialist

Jeff Redekopp, MS, RCEP, Quality Improvement Specialist

Tessa Schulz, Communications Coordinator

Carrie Sorenson, PharmD, Pharmacist/QI Specialist

Lisa Thorp, RN, CDE, Quality Improvement Specialist

Carolyne Tufte, LPN, Quality Improvement Specialist

Heather Wilson, LCSW, Quality Improvement Specialist

QHA’s Board of Directors consists of eight members. Board member terms are three years in length, and members may not serve more than two continuous terms. To ensure continuity of leadership, two members may serve a maximum of three continuous terms. Board members are elected at QHA’s annual meeting in November, and approximately one-third of Board members are elected each year. QHA’s Board of Directors is compensated at $100 per hour for Board responsibilities.

Jeffrey Sather, MD (President)

Trinity Health, Minot
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Shelly Peterson (Vice President)

North Dakota Long Term Care Association, Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Tiffany Schmidt, CPA (Secretary-Treasurer)

Spectra Health, Grand Forks
Term Expires 12/31/2026

Joshua J. Askvig

AARP North Dakota, Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Julie Blehm, MD

Fargo
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Aaron M. Garman, MD

Coal Country Community Health Centers, Beulah
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Jenell Loftesnes

Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Deborah Swanson

Grand Forks Public Health Department, Grand Forks
Term Expires 12/31/2026