UM Capital Region Health's Ingrid Connerney Named American Academy of Nursing Fellow

Ingrid Connerney, DrPH, RN, Vice President and Chief Quality Officer at University of Maryland Capital Region Health (UM Capital), has been selected as a member of the American Academy of Nursing (AAN) 2018 Class of New Fellows. 

Dr. Connerney was inducted along with the full class of 195 distinguished nurse leaders at AAN’s 2018 Transforming Health, Driving Policy Conference in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Connerney joined UM Capital in 2017 from the University of Maryland Medical Center and oversees quality and safety for the regional system, which includes UM Prince George’s Hospital Center, UM Laurel Medical Center, UM Capital Region Surgery Center, UM Bowie Health Center and UM Capital Region Medical Group. In addition, she leads quality programs including patient safety, infection prevention, accreditation, clinical documentation and clinical data analytics.

“It is an honor to receive this esteemed recognition from a field that has played a pivotal role in my career,” says Dr. Connerney. “This honor provides a platform that will allow me to contribute to the field of nursing in many ways, including at UM Capital where we continually look to strengthen and build nurse leadership to improve the safety and care we provide to the communities we serve.”  

Dr. Connerney has directed quality, safety and effectiveness initiatives for more than 20 years. She has disseminated best practices via numerous publications, conference presentations throughout the United States and continuing education of nursing students and hospital staff.  Dr. Connerney’s work in building organizational excellence led to her selection as a three-time national examiner for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and a senior state examiner for the Maryland Performance Excellence Award. In these roles, she continues to bring her knowledge to evaluate and improve the quality performance of health care organizations across the nation.

“UM Capital is fortunate to have Ingrid and her dedication to advancing health care practices through a focus on safety and quality is impressive,” says Sherry B. Perkins, PhD, RN, FAAN, President and Chief Executive Officer for UM Capital Region Health. “Ingrid embodies the leadership qualities that will help drive UM Capital to enhance the quality, safety and care we provide our patients.”

Dr. Connerney has a nursing degree from Nykobing Nursing School in Denmark; Master of Public Health and Doctor of Public Health from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

The Academy fellows, with the addition of this newest class, represent all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and 28 countries. The Academy is currently comprised of more than 2,400 nurse leaders in education, management, practice, policy and research. Academy fellows include hospital and government administrators, college deans and renowned scientific researchers. Fellow selection criteria include evidence of significant contributions to nursing and health care, and sponsorship by two current Academy fellows. Applicants are reviewed by a panel comprised of elected and appointed fellows, and selection is based, in part, on how the nominee’s nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and well-being of all. 

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About University of Maryland Capital Region Health  

Providing primary and specialty health care services to Prince George’s County and the neighboring area, University of Maryland Capital Region Health was established in September 2017 upon formal affiliation with the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS), and is committed to making a positive impact on the health and well-being of patients and families. University of Maryland Capital Region Health operates the University of Maryland Prince George’s Hospital Center in Cheverly, University of Maryland Laurel Medical Center, University of Maryland Bowie Health Campus, and the University of Maryland Family Health & Wellness Center in Suitland. Together, community physicians and University of Maryland School of Medicine (SOM) faculty provide clinical expertise across a range of specialties and programs including: acute rehabilitation; anesthesiology; critical and chronic ventilation care; emergency medicine; neonatology (including the County’s highest level neonatal intensive care unit); orthopedics; vascular surgery; a certified and designated primary stroke center; and the State’s second-busiest trauma center. University of Maryland School of Medicine faculty also lead the highly-regarded cardiac surgery program at UM Prince George’s Hospital Center. A new state-of-the-art regional medical center is expected to open in Largo in 2021.  For more information, visit www.umcapitalregion.org.