The Indian Health Service announced the appointment of Michelle Boylan, RN, MA, MBA, CPHQ, as the new deputy director for quality healthcare and enterprise risk management at IHS headquarters on Jan. 16. In her new position at IHS, Boylan is responsible for strengthening the agency's ongoing efforts to ensure the delivery of consistent, high-quality health care at federally operated facilities across Indian Country.
"Providing the highest possible quality health care to American Indian and Alaska Native communities is at the center of all we do at IHS, and Michelle brings an impressive breadth of experience that will undoubtedly enhance our ability to serve our communities better," IHS Director Roselyn Tso said. "We welcome her leadership, insight, and her impressive diversity of professional experiences to the Indian Health Service."
Prior to joining the IHS, Boylan served as the quality management officer for the Veterans Affairs Heartland Network–VISN 15, and as the lead quality management officer at the Veterans Health Administration. Boylan brings over 38 years of health care and business operations experience in non-profit, for-profit, and Department of Defense health care sectors. A U.S. Army Nurse Corps officer and veteran, Boylan held leadership positions as a chief nursing officer/nurse executive; vice president for quality, safety and risk management; ambulatory care chief nurse; acute care division nurse executive; vice president of quality and performance improvement; and director of exceptional family member and case management. She is also a small business owner and a senior Baldridge examiner.
"It is my honor and privilege to be afforded the opportunity to serve in the IHS and to work with all tribes, leaders, and members of the health care team to advance Native health," Boylan said.
Boylan has 22 years of experience as faculty in schools of business, health care management, organizational development, business operations, strategy, quality, and leadership. She has supervised and mentored academic faculty, developed curricula, and led accreditation efforts.
She holds a Master of Business Administration from Colorado Technical University, Master of Arts Management from Webster University, a Bachelor of Science in nursing from Marquette University, and has completed doctoral work at Colorado Technical University. Boylan is lean six sigma-trained, a certified advanced facilitator, change management practitioner, Team STEPPS master trainer, SHARE Approach certified trainer, DEI practitioner, and is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality. She is a graduate of the Excellence in Government Fellows Program and Partnership for Public Service Executive training.
