About Us

Since 1974, Quality Health Associates (QHA) of North Dakota has collaborated with healthcare professionals, organizations, and communities across the state to improve the quality of care provided to the people of North Dakota. QHA works toward this goal through a number of contracts, partnerships, and initiatives. The goal of QHA is to improve the quality of care for the people of North Dakota by successfully balancing the needs of providers, consumers, stakeholders, and payers.

Mission

To facilitate accelerated improvement of health care outcomes through collaboration with health care providers and systems.

Vision

Become the go-to organization for healthcare improvement.

QHA is governed and staffed by a team of physicians, nurses, analysts, statisticians, IT specialists, and other allied healthcare professionals. QHA uses data-driven, result-oriented processes and tools to improve healthcare quality and patient safety. QHA areas of expertise include:

  • Quality improvement methodologies
  • Lean process improvement
  • Health Information Technology & Electronic Medical Record (HIT/EMR) consultation
  • Health Information Technology Services
  • Data analytics
  • Coding and quality and utilization review

Staff Directory


Judy Beck, RN, MSN, Quality Improvement Program Manager
Nathan Brintnell, Programmer/Security Analyst
Richard Bubach, MSA, Chief Executive Officer
Jonathan Gardner, Network Administrator
Natasha Green, RN, BSN, MBA, CMS Quality Program Director
Christi Hoffman, Finance Manager
Jenifer Lauckner, RN, Quality Improvement Specialist
Michelle Lauckner, RN-BA, RAC-CT, IP-BC, Quality Improvement Specialist
Lorrie Lendvoy, MS, Statistician
Nikki Medalen, MS, RN, APHN-BC, Quality Improvement Specialist
Tasha Peltier, MPH, CPH, Community Engagement Advocate
Jeff Redekopp, MS, RCEP, Quality Improvement Specialist
Tessa Schulz, Communications Coordinator
Carrie Sorenson, PharmD, Pharmacist/QI Specialist
Lisa Thorp, RN, CDE, Quality Improvement Specialist
Carolyne Tufte, LPN, Quality Improvement Specialist
Heather Wilson, LCSW, Quality Improvement Specialist

Board of Directors

Jeffrey Sather, MD (President)

Trinity Health, Minot
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Shelly Peterson (Vice President)

North Dakota Long Term Care Association, Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Tiffany Schmidt, CPA (Secretary-Treasurer)

Spectra Health, Grand Forks
Term Expires 12/31/2023

Joshua J. Askvig

AARP North Dakota, Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2023

Julie Blehm, MD

Fargo
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Aaron M. Garman, MD

Coal Country Community Health Centers, Beulah
Term Expires 12/31/2023

Jenell Loftesnes

Bismarck
Term Expires 12/31/2024

Deborah Swanson

Grand Forks Public Health Department, Grand Forks
Term Expires 12/31/2023

QHA’s Board of Directors consists of ten members.* Board member terms are three years in length, and members may not serve more than two continuous terms. To ensure continuity of leadership, two members may serve a maximum of three continuous terms. Board members are elected at QHA’s annual meeting in November, and approximately one-third of Board members are elected each year. QHA’s Board of Directors is compensated at $100 per hour for Board responsibilities.