Leigh A. Elko, MS, LSSGB, PMP, RRT

Introduction to Healthcare Quality and Safety
Operational Excellence

Leigh Elko is a healthcare leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning clinical care, healthcare operations, quality improvement, digital transformation, and strategic execution. Her career began as a respiratory therapist at Doylestown Hospital while completing her undergraduate studies, followed by clinical practice at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals beginning in 2007.

While working full-time, Leigh earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from Saint Joseph's University, which opened opportunities to transition into healthcare administration and system-wide strategic leadership roles. Throughout her career, she has led initiatives focused on quality improvement, operational excellence, patient experience, population health, and healthcare technology implementation.

At Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals, Leigh partnered with senior leaders to advance strategic initiatives while introducing Lean methodologies, project management principles, and performance improvement practices across the health system. She later joined ChristianaCare, where she led initiatives designed to enhance both patient and employee experiences. One such effort involved implementing a digital patient experience pilot within the Women's and Children's service line, reducing patient wait times by 50 percent while simultaneously improving staff engagement by 20 percent.

Leigh subsequently joined Johns Hopkins Health Plans, where she led quality improvement initiatives across Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, and employer-sponsored health plans. In this role, she partnered with clinical, operational, and technical teams to improve HEDIS performance, implement digital engagement strategies, strengthen provider partnerships, and advance health equity initiatives across multiple lines of business.

Today, Leigh serves as Director of Quality Improvement and Performance at Jefferson Health Plans, where she leads enterprise quality strategy and performance improvement initiatives designed to improve outcomes for the members and communities the organization serves. Returning to Jefferson represents a full-circle moment in Leigh's career, allowing her to combine her clinical background, operational expertise, and passion for innovation to advance high-quality, patient-centered care.

Through each stage of her career, Leigh has developed a reputation for building strong relationships, mentoring emerging leaders, leading high-performing teams, and successfully guiding organizations through complex transformations while maintaining an unwavering commitment to improving healthcare delivery.