OU Health Chief Quality Officer Appointed to CMS National Advisory Committee

OKLAHOMA CITY – Dale Bratzler, D.O., MPH, OU Health Chief Quality Officer and Population Health Officer, has been selected to serve as a member of the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee (MEDCAC). The two-year term begins January 1, 2022.

MEDCAC advises the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) regarding specific medical matters and services to determine what is reasonable and necessary under Medicare law.

In addition to his OU Health titles, Bratzler is a practicing physician and professor at the Hudson College of Public Health and OU College of Medicine at the OU Health Sciences Center.

At local and national levels, Bratzler is recognized for his expertise in matters of public health, disease transmission and clinical care. His role became increasingly critical throughout the pandemic, monitoring the COVID-19 emergency and its development as a global crisis. In June 2020, OU President Joseph Harroz Jr., asked Bratzler to take on the role of OU’s Chief COVID Officer to help coordinate the university’s response to the pandemic. He has become an established resource for science-based updates, made consistently available through multiple media outlets, including CNN, NBC Nightly News, Yahoo News and others.

“Dale Bratzler has distinguished himself through his relentless service to the people of the state of Oklahoma, when reliable information from authoritative sources was critical to build trust,” said Jason R. Sanders, M.D., Senior Vice President and Provost, OU Health Sciences Center. “Chosen for his expertise in clinical care standards and knowledge of advanced technology and science, his voice in these matters is highly regarded across the country. He is uniquely qualified for this role within the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to improve health outcomes.”

MEDCAC is an advisory body, which functions to supplement CMS’ internal expertise and ensure unbiased consideration of medical issues. Final decisions rest with CMS, after careful review and discussion of specific issues in an open and public forum. Members of the committee are valued for their background, education and experience in a broad range of fields including the scientific and clinical among others.

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OU HEALTH
OU Health is the state’s only comprehensive academic health system of hospitals, clinics and centers of excellence. With 11,000 employees and more than 1,300 physicians and advanced practice providers, OU Health is home to Oklahoma’s largest doctor network with a complete range of specialty care. OU Health serves Oklahoma and the region with the state’s only freestanding children’s hospital, the only National Cancer Institute-Designated OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center and Oklahoma’s flagship hospital, which serves as the state’s only Level 1 trauma center. OU Health’s oncology program at OU Health Stephenson Cancer Center was named Oklahoma’s top facility for cancer care by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020-21 rankings. OU Health also was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as high performing in these specialties: Colon Surgery, COPD and Congestive Heart Failure. OU Health’s mission is to lead healthcare in patient care, education and research. To learn more, visit ouhealth.com.