Career Profiles
"From a young age, I knew I wanted to work in health care. Originally, I dreamed of becoming a physician — but life had other plans that ultimately led me to a career I deeply love. My path was not linear, but every step along the way helped shape who I am and how I work to improve the lives of patients and communities today."
Lindsay James, MBA, CPHQ, CPPS, LSSGB
Director of Quality, Corporate Compliance and Health Equity
Liberty Hospital
While in college, I became an emergency medical technician and quickly fell in love with the fast-paced world of emergency response. The experience opened my eyes to the many sides of health care — some inspiring, others deeply flawed. I saw patients receive care in settings that didn’t always offer dignity or compassion, and I realized I wanted to do more than treat symptoms. I wanted to change the system.
After earning my degree in health care administration, I wasn’t exactly sure where I belonged. That changed when I took an internship at a small critical access hospital. There, I was introduced to the world of quality, performance improvement and risk management — and everything clicked. I discovered I could help improve the health care experience not just for one patient at a time, but for entire communities.
Over time, my passion expanded into health equity, where I’ve learned just how deeply factors like food, housing and transportation impact a person’s health. Working to address those factors has become one of the most fulfilling parts of my career.
While no single event pushed me into health care, I’ve always had a desire to help others. I think part of that came from watching my grandmother. Though not a health care worker, she was a true caregiver. Even in her later years, she was delivering meals, checking in on neighbors and doing whatever she could to support people in her community. She treated everyone with kindness and a helping hand — and people loved her for it. I can only hope to make that kind of impact.
No two days in my role are ever the same. While a lot of time is spent in meetings — offering process improvement advice, interpreting data or helping departments navigate regulations — my role extends far beyond that.
Some days, I’m talking directly with patients or their families to resolve concerns. Other days, I’m helping with our community food drive or assembling hygiene bags for patients who need a little extra support. At its core, my role is supporting our staff and providers so they can do their jobs safely and effectively — and making sure patients are at the center of every decision.
What keeps me going is the knowledge that our work makes a real difference. Whether it’s one less hospital-acquired infection, one less delay in discharge or one smoother care experience, I know we’re helping people. Working with our Health Equity Committee this past year has been especially meaningful. We launched a community food pantry that now serves 700–800 people each month. Knowing we’re helping people live healthier, more stable lives gives deep purpose to everything I do.
Like many in health care, I struggled early on with wanting to fix everything immediately. It’s easy to become overwhelmed, especially when the stakes are so high — our work impacts lives. I had to learn to manage expectations, focus on what’s achievable today and lean on my team. I’ve learned that meaningful change takes time and collaboration.
If you’re considering a career in quality, risk, compliance or health equity, know that the field is full of opportunities. There’s a wide variety of areas to specialize in, and no one path looks the same. My best advice: be open to change and always center your decisions around the patient. That mindset will guide you through even the most complex challenges.
One misconception about my role is that we’re here to find fault. We’re actually focused on improving processes, not pointing fingers. Health care is complex and ever-changing, and our goal is to make it safer and easier for staff to provide excellent care. When we evaluate a process, it’s to support teams, not to blame them.
Quality work is never “finished.” There is always something to improve, and as health care continues to grow more complex, our work becomes even more essential. We are at the heart of delivering safe, effective and equitable care, and I’m excited to see how this field continues to evolve and make a difference in people’s lives.