Center Bids Farewell to Long-Time Member Eugene Friedman

The Maryland Patient Safety Center, the state’s official center for patient safety issues and education, is pleased to share the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors.Robert Atlas, MD, and Cherif Boutros, MD, MSc, FACS, FACG both began their three-year terms on July 1, 2019.

“Dr. Atlas and Dr. Boutros bring with them valuable expertise and perspective, and I look forward to their contributions to the board as our organization continues to evolve to meet the complex quality and patient safety needs of healthcare institutions in Maryland and beyond,” said Bonnie DiPietro, Acting President & CEO of the Maryland Patient Safety Center. “We are fortunate to have a strong leadership base guiding our organization. The addition of these two highly qualified members further strengthens our ability to serve as a proactive resource for our members and program participants.”

Robert Atlas, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Mercy Medical Center. He provides guidance to a team of Mercy OB-GYNs and is a key leader at The Family Childbirth and Children’s Center, a family-centered facility for expectant mothers, newborn babies, pediatric patients, families, and visitors. In this role, Dr. Atlas provides strategic direction and recommendations for enhancements to the patient experience. He also maintains a relationship with the University of Maryland School of Medicine, providing education for new doctors and serving as an Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Reproductive Services as well as Associate Residency Program Director.

Cherif Boutros MD, MSc, FACS, is medical director the Tate Cancer Center, chair of surgical oncology at University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, and associate professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is the author of multiple publications and book chapters in the field of gastrointestinal surgical oncology andthe principal investigator of the LiverMetSurvey at the University of Maryland, an international study for patients who receive surgery for hepatic colorectal metastasis. Dr. Boutros is also the principal investigator of the irreversible electroporation study for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

The Center also thanks departing board member Eugene Friedman, Esq., Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel for First Mariner Bank, for his nine years of service on the board. Friedman’s advice and leadership have been greatly appreciated and will leave a lasting legacy on the center and its programs.

About the Maryland Patient Safety Center The Maryland Patient Safety Center brings together hospitals and healthcare providers to improve patient safety and health care quality for all Marylanders. The goal of the Patient Safety Center is making healthcare in Maryland the safest in the nation by focusing on the systems of care, reducing the occurrence of adverse events, and improving the culture of patient safety with organizations throughout the healthcare continuum. For more information, visit www.marylandpatientsafetycenter.org.