The School of Medicine has announced Peter Almenoff, M.D., clinical professor of biomedical and health informatics and internal medicine, as the inaugural Vijay Babu Rayudu Endowed Chair of Patient Safety, effective Sept. 1.
The new position will support efforts by the School of Medicine and Saint Luke’s Hospital to develop education and research programs in patient safety.
Almenoff joined the School of Medicine faculty in 2011. He served as Assistant Deputy Undersecretary for Health for Quality and Safety for the Department of Veterans Affairs from 2008-2012 and provided leadership to the School of Medicine’s clinical affiliate, Kansas City, VA Medical Center. He also served as the National Program Director for Pulmonary and Critical Care.
Almenoff is currently serving as Special Advisor to the Office of the Secretary, Senior Fellow, Veteran Affairs Center of Innovation, and Director of Operational Analytics and Reporting (OAR) Veterans Health Administration.
The chair of patient safety was endowed by the family of Vijay Babu Rayudu, who passed away in 2007 while a student at the School of Medicine. Rayudu’s parents are physicians near Memphis, Tenn. His sister, Parvathi, is a 2012 graduate of the UMKC School of Medicine, and his brother, Ranga, is also a physician. The family said it believes the memorial endowment provides a contribution to the practice of medicine that Vijay Rayudu will not be able to provide directly.
“We are very pleased that Dr. Almenoff has accepted the position as the Vijay Babu Rayudu Endowed Chair of Patient Safety for the School of Medicine,” said Rayudu’s father, Rao. “His credentials and work in the field will provide a solid foundation on which this new program will contribute to ongoing research efforts and education in patient safety. We trust that as a teacher and a leader, Dr. Almenoff will be taking the University into exciting territory in the near future.”
In his new role at the School of Medicine, Almenoff will advise the School in developing medical education programs and research programs that incorporate patient safety.
Almenoff will also serve an advisory role to Saint Luke’s Hospital on the development of a clinical outcomes analytic program.
Congratulations and I look forward to working with you to provide more Patient Safety curriculum for our students.