Dr. Shephali Wulff recognized among Modern Healthcare’s Innovators for 2024

Dr. Shephali Wulff, SSM Health’s system vice president of quality and safety, has been named as one of the healthcare industry’s top innovators for 2024 by Modern Healthcare magazine.

Modern Healthcare’s Innovators list recognizes leaders and organizations driving innovation that improves care, achieves measurable results, and contributes to the clinical and financial goals of the organization.

The magazine praised Dr. Wulff’s work in leading development of a multi-disciplinary, systemwide initiative to prevent catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI), central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) and hospital-acquired Clostridium difficile (HO-CDI).

SSM Health’s infectious diseases team designed best-practice prevention strategies in partnership with a diverse group of professional partners including nurse practitioners, nursing education, hospitalists, intensivists, emergency medicine, urology, microbiology, and supply chain. Between 2021 and 2023, instances of CAUTI decreased 61%, occurrences of CLABSI decreased 36%, and cases of HO-CDI decreased 50%.

“The role of innovation has always been paramount in healthcare, and our 2024 honorees as top Innovators are driving real change in the industry,” said Mary Ellen Podmolik, editor in chief of Modern Healthcare. “The wide variety of projects underway by these executives and organizations demonstrates a dedication to tackling the ‘what ifs’ that can improve the delivery of healthcare and improve communities and the patient experience.”