[Dulac] My current role is a Healthcare Executive. My undergraduate degree was in nursing. My graduate work was in evaluative clinical sciences.

[NAPW]  Tell us a little bit about your career journey.

[Dulac]  I have enjoyed several career paths in my journey. I have practiced clinically in acute care, ambulatory, and community health arenas. I have also practiced within the health services research arenas, writing and administering grants. For the last ten years, I have enjoyed working with acute care systems, to initiate their quality programs and measurement strategies. Currently, I am the Associate Vice President of Clinical Programs, with Priority Health. I have oversight for our quality agenda and clinical programs for employers, members, and providers.

[NAPW]  When did you know this is what you wanted to do? Did you have an ‘ah ha’ moment?

[Dulac]  My last 'ah ha", came shortly after my formal training in leadership and quality improvement with Paul Batalden, MD in 1995. The framework he created within healthcare resonated with me in such a way that I am dedicating the remainder of my career to this work.

[NAPW]  What are some of your greatest accomplishments and/or accolades?

[Dulac]  Most recently, we completed a 5 year plan for quality in 4 years for Spectrum Health. This work resulted in over 50 national awards and recognitions for the system, leadership and staff. And most importantly, it resulted in avoiding complications of care and saving lives for patients. We also generated cost savings for the organization.

[NAPW]  Do you have a mantra?

[Dulac]  "For every patient every day " "We only have 365 patient/member days/year to make a difference. Make every day count."

[NAPW]  What inspires you on a day-to- day basis?

[Dulac]  Believing I am making a difference in the outcomes of care for patients and members. This encompasses a balanced set of evaluations for clinical care processes, morbidity, mortality, functional status, satisfaction and cost.

[NAPW]  What is on your iPod?

[Dulac]  Music selected and downloaded by my 23 year old daughter. I listen to rock, country, oldies, and easy listening in the car and while I work-out. I am reminded of what is most important to me when I play my iPod, as it is inscribed, "to world's best mom", from my 3 children.

[NAPW]  Tell us a funny story about You

[Dulac]  Here is a good one. This week I went out to my car to find the windows rolled down and the sunroof open. I thought to myself, hmmm, "I didn't leave those open this morning". I checked the car to see if anything was missing. I walked around the outside to see if someone had hit the car, and perhaps triggered the alarm. No, on both counts, then I thought, well, it is my birthday; maybe someone did this for me to cool my car down on this 90+ degree day. What a nice gesture!

I proceeded to the restaurant where I was meeting my daughter for dinner. I closed the sun roof, turned off the car, got out, and locked the car. I have a keyless system, which means all I need to do is touch the door handle. As I walked away all 4 windows rolled down and the sunroof opened. "OK, what is going on?” I asked myself. I jumped back into the car, closed everything again, locked the car, and it happened again! By this time I am wondering, "am I on Candid Camera?"

As it turned out, no, it was my key fob, for the keyless system. The dealer shared with me, that if the fob is in a purse/pocket, and the ‘unlock the car’ button is depressed accidently for more than several seconds, it would trigger the windows and sunroof to open. It is a design feature to cool down the car in warm weather! Now that I know this, perhaps I will use it.