Jody Ward, MS, RN, APHN - Bio Sketch

Jody Ward is the director the North Dakota Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility (Flex) Program administered by the Center for Rural Health (CRH) at the University of North Dakota (UND) School of Medicine & Health Sciences. She has been with the CRH since 2008, and her office is based in Minot, North Dakota. She is a registered nurse who has worked in quality and intensive care.

Jody has led the North Dakota Critical Access Hospital Quality Network in a number of quality and patient safety initiatives. She serves as a liaison to statewide stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of information and network development. Through the Flex program, she assists rural hospitals and emergency medical services to maintain access to quality health services in rural communities.

Before joining the CRH, Jody was a healthcare quality improvement project coordinator for North Dakota Healthcare Review, Inc. (NDHCRI). While at NDHCRI, she participated in the development and implementation of quality improvement projects and provided technical support for all hospitals in North Dakota. She was also an intensive care unit nurse at UniMed Medical Center in Minot.

Jody has a master of science degree in advanced public health nursing from UND and a registered nurse bachelor's degree from Minot State University.