The Kansas Healthcare Collaborative (KHC) Board of Directors has selected Malea Hartvickson as the organization’s Executive Director effective January 1, 2022. Over the last year, she was a Program Director leading one of KHC’s largest initiatives, the Health Quality Innovation Network.

Previously, Hartvickson was a Quality Improvement Advisor for KHC’s Practice Transformation Network, working with medical practices in the western and north central part of the state to help them continually improve health care quality and maximize patient safety.

Malea HartvicksonMalea Hartvickson

“Malea has dedicated her career to working with Kansas physicians and to ensure that all have access to the very latest evidence-based practices,” said Brian Williams, Chair of the KHC board and President and Chief Executive Officer of Labette Health. “With her long experience working for and on behalf of providers across our state, Malea is ideally positioned to successfully lead the KHC team. More than ever, Kansas physicians and hospitals face rapidly evolving circumstances in health care delivery — KHC will continue to serve them as a partner and resource in their efforts to maximize patient safety and health care quality.”

Before joining KHC in January 2018, Hartvickson worked for 12 years at NMC Health in Newton. Most recently she was NMC Health’s Director of Quality Management/Accreditation and was responsible for implementing the Physician Quality Reporting System, interpreting federal rules and regulations, communicating changes and updates throughout the hospital and clinics, and guiding the hospital in continual process improvement efforts. Hartvickson also served NMC Health as an HIM Clerk, Data Analyst, iCare Project Coordinator/HIPAA Security Officer, and HIPAA Privacy Officer.

Hartvickson earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Master of Health Care Leadership degrees from Friends University in Wichita. She is also a certified Patient-Centered Medical Home Certified Content Expert and a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality