Tom Bates, MBA, RN, will serve as the first chief quality officer for Keck Medicine of USC, a newly created role within the organization.

Bates, who joined Keck Medicine in 2009, now serves as the executive administrator for Quality, Patient Safety and Outcomes Management at Keck Medical Center.

“Tom’s unending generosity and compassion for both our patients and caregivers is truly inspiring, and we know that is dedication will lead the enterprise to even greater success,” said Keck Medicine CEO Rod Hanners, who announced Bates’ new position on Oct. 26.

Bates will be responsible for setting up the Keck Medicine Quality Institute, which will bring together eaders from across the system to ensure excellence in the organization’s approach to quality, safety and clinical effectiveness. He will support Amy Ross, chair of the health system board, quality and safety committee.

The new objectives build upon prior achievements. In recent years, Bates has developed and implemented organization-wide strategies that have contributed to Keck Hospital of USC’s “A” grade from the Leapfrog Group for the last seven periods.

Under Bates’ watch, USC Norris Cancer Hospital was named a national Top Teaching Hospital by the Leapfrog Group, and Keck Medical center was ranked No. 3 among 162 academic medical centers by the AHRQ Patient Safety Indicator Scores. Vizient has also named Keck Hospital a top performer in delivering high-quality care.

Bates will start in his new role on Nov. 6.

— Kate Faye