Mary Wakefield, PhD, RN, FAAN

Dr. Mary Wakefield is associate dean for rural health at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota; director and professor (tenured) of the Center for Rural Health at the School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota, in Grand Forks, ND. She has served as Center Director since November 2001. Established in 1980, the Center for Rural Health addresses changing rural environments by identifying and researching rural health issues, analyzing health policy, strengthening local capabilities, developing community-based alternatives, and advocating for rural concerns.

Dr. Wakefield has expertise in rural health care, quality and patient safety, Medicare payment policy, workforce issues, and the public policy process. She has presented nationally and internationally on public policy and strategies to influence the policymaking and political process. She has authored many articles and columns on health policy and she is on the editorial board of a number of professional journals, including the editorial board for Nursing Economics, and Annals of Family Medicine.

From January 1996 - December 2001, Dr. Wakefield served as professor and director of the Center for Health Policy, Research, and Ethics at George Mason University, Fairfax, VA.

From January 1993 - January 1996, Dr. Wakefield was the chief of staff for United States Senator Kent Conrad (D-ND). From 1987 until 1992, Dr. Wakefield served as legislative assistant and Chief of Staff to Senator Quentin Burdick (D-ND). Throughout her tenure on Capitol Hill, Dr. Wakefield advised on a range of public health policy issues, drafted legislative proposals, worked with interest groups and other Senate offices.

Dr. Wakefield serves on many health-related advisory boards on the local, state, and national levels. Currently, she is a secretary of AcademyHealth Board of Directors; member of the Department of Veteran’s Affairs’ Special Medical Advisory Group; member of the Commonwealth Fund Commission on a High Performance Health System; and of the Health Care Services Board, Institute of Medicine. Locally, she is a member of the Board of Directors at the North Dakota Health Care Review, (Quality Improvement Organization) and serves on the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota Board of Directors.

In the past, Dr. Wakefield was commissioner on the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission, 1999 – 2005, (which is responsible for advising the U.S. Congress on the Medicare program); chair, Catholic Health Initiatives Board of Trustees; a member of the federal Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) National Commission on VA Nursing in Washington, D.C. April 2002-2004; from 2000-2004, was a member and chair, of the National Advisory Council, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS); 1997-1998 served as member and subcommittee chair, for President Clinton’s Advisory Commission on Consumer Protection and Quality in the Health Care Industry; 1999-2003 she was a member of the National Advisory Committee to the Office of Rural Health Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; served as co-chair of the Hospital Performance Measures Committee of the National Quality Forum in Washington, D.C.; and served on the Editorial Board for the Journal of Rural Health, among others.

Dr. Wakefield received her Master of Science in nursing and her Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Texas at Austin. Her Bachelor of Science in nursing is from the University of Mary at Bismarck, ND. She was a Kodak Fellow in the Program for Senior Managers in Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Dr. Wakefield is a fellow in the American Academy of Nursing and was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies in 2004. She is a recipient of numerous awards including the American Organization of Nurse Executives (AONE) 2006 Nurse Research Award.

Contact Information:

Tel:	(701) 777-3848
Email:	mwake@medicine.nodak.edu
Web site:	http://ruralhealth.und.edu

Projects

• Building Research Infrastructure and Capacity -- The Building Research Infrastructure and Capacity (BRIC) program provides funding to support the development of health services research.
• Center of Excellence Women's Health Region VIII Demonstration Project -- Focuses on the needs of women of all ages, with particular emphasis toward women in rural areas as well as the needs of diverse populations, especially Native American women.
• Health Workforce Summit -- Planning Together to Meet North Dakota’s Future Health Care Needs was held on December 5, 2006, in Bismarck, ND.
• Nurse Faculty Project -- This Dakota Medical Foundation funded project will examine recruitment and retention strategies for nurse faculty.
• Nursing Workforce Impact -- Examines the impact of nurse staffing and nurse work environment on hospital performance improvement in the CMS/Premier Inc. Hospital Quality Incentive Demonstration (HQID) project.
• Rural Health Research Gateway -- Examines and produces effective dissemination products and approaches for diverse audiences at the national, state and community level.
• Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center -- Undertakes national projects focusing on quality of rural health care and other important rural health issues.

Publications

• Implementing Patient Safety Initiatives in Rural Hospitals: An Evaluation of the Tennessee Rural Hospital Patient Safety Demonstration, Klingner, J., Moscovice, I., Wakefield, M.K., Miller, M., August 2007
  A project of the Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center, the Tennessee Rural Hospital Patient Safety Demonstration project included: 1) the implementation of three patient safety initiatives in eight rural Tennessee hospitals using a collaborative model and 2) an evaluation of the process and tools used in the implementation to inform future rural patient safety initiatives. Staff from the Tennessee Hospital Association, Q-Source (the state quality improvement organization), BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee and the University of Southern Maine all provided technical assistance and resources to the hospitals. The Upper Midwest Rural Health Research Center evaluated the project.
• Bridging Rural Health Research and Policy: Dissemination Strategies, Rural Policy Research Institute Rural Health Panel, August 2007
  A policy brief from the RUPRI Rural Health Panel, University of Missouri.
• North Dakota Health Care Workforce: Planning Together to Meet Future Health Care Needs (Part I), Wakefield, M., Amundson, M., Moulton, P., & Gibbens, B., January 2007
  
• North Dakota Health Care Workforce: Planning Together to Meet Future Health Care Needs (Part II), Amundson, M., Moulton, P., Wakefield, M., Beattie, S., & Gibbens, B., April 2007
  
• Health Policy and Politics, Wakefield, M., Nursing Economics, August 1996 to present, 2007
  Columnist for Nursing Economics.
• Nurse Faculty Recruitment and Retention Project, Moutlon, P. & Wakefield, M., Fall 2007
  This document was disseminated to participants of the Nurse Faculty recruitment and Retention Meeting prior to the October 24th meeting to provide them with useful information.
• Prioritizing Patient Safety Interventions in Small Rural Hospitals, Casey, M., Wakefield, M.,K. Coburn, A., Moscovice, I., & Loux, S., Joint Commission Journal on Quality and Patient Safety, Vol. 32, No. 12, pp. 693-702, 2006
  
• A Rural Healthcare Quality Agenda, Wakefield, M.K., Journal for Healthcare Quality, Vol. 28, No. 5, pp. 2, 57, 2006
  
• Access to Health Care for Rural America: Why it Matters, Wakefield, M. & Gibbens, B., Around the Kitchen Table, Issue 14, February 2006
  
• Prevalence of Chronic Disease Among American Indian and Alaska Native Elders, Moulton, P., McDonald, L., Muus, K., Knudson, A., Wakefield, M., & Ludtke, R., October 2005
  
• Understanding the Impacts of the Medicare Modernization Act: Concerns of Congressional Staff, Mueller, K., Coburn, A., MacKinney, A.C., McBride, T., Slifkin, R.T., & Wakefield, M., The Journal of Rural Health, Vol. 21, No. 3, pp. 194-197, 2005
  
• Health Care Facility Survey Results: 2004, Moulton, P., Evenson, D., & Wakefield, M., April 2004
  
• North Dakota Nursing Needs Study: Licensed Nurse Survey – Year 2, Moulton, P., Wakefield, M., & Bennett, C., July 2004
  
• Quality Through Collaboration: The Future of Rural Health, Committee on the Future of Rural Health Care, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, Academies Press, Washington, DC, November 2004
  
• The Importance of Safety and Quality in Rural America, Burstin, H. & Wakefield, M., The Journal of Rural Health, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 301-303, 2004
  
• Assuring Rural Hospitals Patient Safety: What Should be the Priorities?, Coburn, A. F., Wakefield, M., Casey, M., Moscovice, I., Payne, S., & Loux, S., The Journal of Rural Health, Vol. 20, No. 4, pp. 314-326, 2004
  
• Government Response: Legislation (Chapter 3), Wakefield, M., Health Policy and Politics: A Nurse’s Guide, Second Edition, pp. 67-88, 2004
  
• Characteristics of North Dakota's Nursing Workforce: A Status Report, Moulton, P. & Wakefield, M., Fall 2003
  
• North Dakota Nursing Needs Study: Facility Survey Results, Moulton, P., Park, R., Muus, K., Wakefield, M.K., & Henderson, T., April 2003
  
• North Dakota Nursing Needs Study: Licensed Nurse Survey Results, Moulton, P., Christman, S., Dannewitz, H., Park, R., & Wakefield, M.K., May 2003
  
• Licensed Nurse Focus Group Results, Moulton, P., Dannewitz, H., Christman, S., Park, R., Kruger, G., & Wakefield, M., June 2003
  
• North Dakota Nursing Needs Study: Faculty Survey Results, Moulton, P., Christman, S., Dannewitz, H., & Wakefield, M.K., June 2003
  
• A Framework and Action Agenda for Quality Improvement in Rural Health Care, Calico, F.W., Dillard, C.D., Moscovice, I., & Wakefield, M.K., The Journal of Rural Health, Vol. 19, No. 3, pp. 226-232, 2003
  
• Health Care Quality: The Rural Context, The National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, April 2003
  A Report to the Secretary, U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services.
• Health Professions Education: A Bridge to Quality, Institute of Medicine of the National Academies, The National Academies Press, Washington, DC, March 2003
  
• Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality of Healthcare in America, National Academy of Science, Washington, DC, March 2001
  Crossing the Quality Chasm makes an urgent call for fundamental change to close the quality gap. This book recommends a sweeping redesign of the American health care system and provides overarching principles for specific direction for policymakers, health care leaders, clinicians, regulators, purchasers, and others.
• To Err is Human: Building a Safer Health System, Institute of Medicine Committee on Quality of Health Care in America, National Academy of Science, Washington, DC, 2000
  To Err Is Human breaks the silence that has surrounded medical errors and their consequence--but not by pointing fingers at caring health care professionals who make honest mistakes. After all, to err is human. Instead, this book sets forth a national agenda--with state and local implications--for reducing medical errors and improving patient safety through the design of a safer health system.

Presentations

• Development of a Nurse Faculty Recruitment and Retention Plan
  Presented by Moulton, P. & Wakefield, M. on Jun 11, 2008 at the National Conference of State Nursing Workforce Centers, Denver, CO.
  This poster detailed the action plan developed through a Dakota Medical Foundation funded project.
• Performance Measurement and Quality Improvement for Health Professions
  Presented by Wakefield, M. on Feb 26, 2008 at the Bureau of Health Professions All Programs Meeting, Washington, DC.
  
• Working to Achieve HRSA’s Vision in North Dakota, in Partnership with the Center for Rural Health
  Presented by Wakefield, M., Miller, M., & Dickson, L. on Dec 10, 2007 at the meeting with HRSA administrator, Dr. Elizabeth Duke, Grand Forks, ND.
  
• Creating a High Performance Health System
  Presented by Wakefield, M. on Oct 9, 2007 at the North Dakota Health Care Review, Inc. Quality Forum, Fargo, ND.
  
• Creating a High Performance Health System
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Sep 21, 2007 at the North Dakota Medical Management Group Association annual meeting, Fargo, ND.
  
• Rural Health Research Gateway
  Presented by Wakefield, M., Moulton, P., Sande, K., & Scurry, A. on Aug 27, 2007 at the Office of Rural Health Policy - All Programs Meeting, Washington, DC.
  
• Health Care Costs and the Need for Reform
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Aug 7, 2007 at the Senate Budget Committee, Minot, ND.
  
• Commission on a High Performance Health System
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Jul 18, 2007 at the Commonwealth Fund Commission, North Dakota site visit, Bismarck, ND.
  Provides information about the high-performance health care in North Dakota, focusing specifically on innovative applications of telemedicine and networks that provide economical, efficient, and high-quality health care.
• Aiming Higher: Results from a State Scorecard on Health System
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K., Budetti, P., Koller, C., Schoen, C., & Howard, E. on Jun 15, 2007 at the KaiserNnetwork.org webcast, Washington, DC.
  
• Creating a High Performance Health System
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Mar 20, 2007 at the 2007 Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health, Mandan, ND.
  
• Creating a High Performance Health Care System
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Mar 1, 2007 at the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services, Washington, DC.
  
• Tools and Resources in Rural Research
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Feb 15, 2007 at the National Rural Health Association's Rural Health Policy Institute, Washington, DC.
  
• Welcome to the North Dakota HealthCare Workforce Summit
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Dec 5, 2006 at the Health Care Workforce Summit, Bismarck, ND.
  
• Challenges and Strategies to Strengthening Health and Human Services in Rural Areas
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Aug 23, 2006 at the Dakota Disability Advocacy Consortium conference, Bismarck, ND.
  Provides information on the Impact of health care on the economy and community; Challenges in health care – cost, access, quality; and Next generation health care – future directions.
• So You Want to Be an Advocate? Strategies for Advocacy, Knowledge, Resources, Colleagues and Actions
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Feb 19, 2006 at the American College of Nurse Practitioners National Nurse Practitioner Summit, Washington, DC.
  
• Budget Committee on Health Care Testimony
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Jan 4, 2006 at the North Dakota Legislative Council, Grand Forks, ND.
  Provides comments on three health care topics: Access, quality, and cost of health care within North Dakota; Shortages of health care professionals in North Dakota; and Innovations affecting the delivery of health care in rural areas.
• Medicare Update
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on May 19, 2005 at the National Rural Health Association's Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  Discusses the impacts of the Medicare Modernization Act on rural health systems and beneficiaries.
• Town Hall: Institute of Medicine Report - Future of Rural Health
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on May 19, 2005 at the National Rural Health Association's Annual Conference, New Orleans, LA.
  Presentation discussing the Institute of Medicine report, "Quality Through Collaboration: The Future of Rural Health."
• Keeping Patients Safe: Focus on Team Communication
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. & Christianson, C. on Apr 28, 2005 at the Advancing Nursing Practice Nursing Symposium, Fargo, ND.
  Focuses on team communication and patient safety.
• Quality Through Collaboration: The Future of Rural Health
  Presented by Wakefield, M.K. on Jan 1, 2005 at the national level to various audiences, Washington, DC.
  In general, the smaller, poorer, and more isolated a rural community is, the more difficult it is to ensure the availability of high-quality health services. Compared with urban communities, rural communities tend to have fewer health care organizations and professionals of all types, less choice and competition among them, and broad variation in their availability at the local level.