Daniel J. Glunk, MD, MHCDS earned a bachelor's degree from Wilkes University (PA) and a medical degree from Hahnemann University (PA). He completed his residency at the University of Pittsburgh and was chief resident at Shadyside Hospital in Pittsburgh. As a dedicated physician with a strong commitment to his patients and colleagues, he has been heavily involved in shaping Pennsylvania health care through many leadership positions in organized medicine at the local, state, and national levels. He is certified by the National Board of Medical Examiners and the American Board of Internal Medicine. In addition, he is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. He completed a Masters in Health Care Delivery Science at Dartmouth College.
His role in improving the quality and safety of patient care began in the early 1990's when he became an early participant in the Institute for Healthcare Improvement's educational offerings. He designed and implemented the first medical pathways using a critical pathway approach in the late 1990's at the Williamsport Hospital. He was appointed the Chief Quality Officer in 2007 and has guided the development of all evidence-based order sets, the Crimson project for data mining and quality improvement, Value-Based Purchasing, and readmission and Hospital Acquired Conditions reduction efforts.
Dr. Glunk is recognized for his work on patient safety. Before there was a Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, he was initiating a similar project through the Pennsylvania Medical Society to collect and study medical errors. The MERIT program made the Pennsylvania Medical Society one of the early pioneers of the modern day movement in patient safety. In developing this program, Dr. Glunk brought together key national organizations and leaders from TJC (formerly JCAHO), AHRQ (John Eisenberg, MD), ISMP, NPSF, along with others. He is also credited with designing the Pennsylvania Medical Society's medical history card, which gained recognition as a safeguard for patients, particularly for its role in medication reconciliation. Dr. Glunk was appointed to the Board by the President pro tempore of the Senate pursuant to MCARE Act Section 303(b)(2).
