HUNTINGTON, W.Va. – The Marshall University Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health Network hosted the 13th Annual Quality & Safety Summit on March 25 at the Marshall University Medical Center. The event, hosted by the Office of Graduate Medical Education, brings together health care professionals and learners to highlight innovative initiatives aimed at improving patient care, safety and system-wide outcomes across the health care continuum. 

The summit opened with a keynote address delivered by Amanda H. Lenhard, M.D., associate professor of medicine, chief of medicine at UPMC Shadyside and vice president, care coordination and hospital medicine. As an expert in quality and change leadership, she emphasized redesigning health care systems by integrating clinical excellence, operational efficiency and financial stewardship. She spoke on equipping teams with practical, real-time strategies to improve physician performance and achieve better patient outcomes. 

Faculty, resident physicians, fellows, medical students and other health care professionals presented their quality improvement and patient safety projects through poster sessions and oral presentations throughout the day. These efforts reflect a strong, ongoing commitment to advancing clinical practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement in health care delivery. 

"With 47 accepted poster presentations and 18 selected oral presentations from regional health care professionals throughout the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine and Marshall Health Network, this event reflects our growing engagement and unwavering dedication to quality and safety across our institution," said Elizabeth Saunders, M.D., associate dean for quality improvement and patient safety and associate professor of medicine at the Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine.  

A judging panel reviewed poster presentations and recognized the following individuals and teams in these award categories: 

Outstanding Medical Student Quality Improvement Award
A Quality Improvement Initiative to Improve Tobacco Cessation Counseling in Primary Care
Kara Piechowski, PharmD, MD Candidate; Kueitsung “Philips” Shih, MPH; Adam Franks, MD 

Outstanding Medical Student Patient Safety Award
Increasing Functional Screening Rates in Primary Care: A Quality Improvement Project
Sydney Smith, MS III; Kathleen O’Hanlon, MD; Beth Ramey, RN; Ashley Beaty, MSN RN-BC; Kueitsung “Philips” Shih, MS; Courtney Wellman, MD; Adam M. Franks, MD 

Outstanding Resident Patient Safety Award
Improving the Safety of Patients 50 Years and Older After Fractures: An Ongoing QI Project
Sarah Lackey, DO; Pallavi, MD; Richard Conway, DO; Beth Ramey, RN; Becky Edwards, RN; Kasey Stickler, MD; David Rupp, MD; Courtney Wellman, MD 

Outstanding Resident Quality Improvement Award
Assessing and Improving Resident Physician Comfort in the Management of Menopausal Symptoms Through Educational Intervention 
Lauren Lipscomb, MD; Rachel Price, MD; Lauren Bauer, MD; Emily Sloane, MD 

Marshall Health Network Outstanding Quality Improvement Award
Utilization of Technology in Hospital Beds and Leadership Engagement to Achieve High Reliability
Andrea Criss, DNP, RN, NEA-BC; Sara Adkins, RN; Mandy Blackburn, BSN, RN 

Marshall Health Network Outstanding Patient Safety Award
Pediatric Fall Prevention
Megan Hanshaw, BSN, RN, CPN 

CMO’s Outstanding Interdisciplinary Team Project
Improving Departmental Quality Scores in Family Medicine Through a Multidisciplinary QI Initiative
Louis A Whest, MD; Courtney Wellman, MD; Rachele Subik, PharmD; Kueitsung “Philips” Shih, MS, MHP; Tiny Beth Ramey, RN; Chadwick Smith, MD; Christopher Schafer, MSHI; Adam M. Franks, MD 

Vice Dean’s Award for Best Integrated/Sustainable Quality Improvement Project 
Improving Timely Completion of Missing Documentation Through Quality Improvement
Mitchell Stanley, DO; Kendell McNeely, MD; Morgan Stickler, MD; Courtney Wellman, MD; Kris Abernathy, ABM; Judy Watters; Adam Franks, MD

Frank D. Shuler, MD, PhD, Program Award
Department of Family & Community Health 

Quality & Safety Summit photos are available at jcesom.smugmug.com/Events/2026-Events/13th-Annual-Quality-Safety-Summit. 

Date Posted: Thursday, March 26, 2026