Lee Health Names Ohio State University’s Dr. Minka Schofield as its New Chief Quality & Patient Safety Officer

Lee Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Minka Schofield as its new Chief Quality & Patient Safety Officer. A board-certified otolaryngologist–head and neck surgeon, Dr. Schofield brings more than 20 years of clinical experience along with a strong background in academic medicine and leadership.

She will lead and champion Lee Health’s clinical quality and patient safety programs and be responsible for patient safety, error prevention and assessment, quality improvement and standardization, national hospital grading and benchmarking, and conformance risk assessments. 

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Minka Schofield to our leadership team,” said Dr. Iahn Gonsenhauser, chief medical officer at Lee Health. “Her exceptional background, particularly in infection prevention and patient safety, aligns with our mission to deliver the highest quality of care. Dr. Schofield’s leadership and innovative approach will further strengthen our efforts to improve outcomes and enhance the well-being of the communities and patients we serve across Southwest Florida and beyond.”

Before joining Lee Health, Dr. Schofield served as a professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at The Ohio State University’s (OSU) College of Medicine, where she was appointed the director of the general otolaryngology division, medical director of surgical operations, and vice chair of diversity, equity and inclusion. 

As medical director of surgical operations, Dr. Schofield spearheaded efforts to improve patient access, surgical throughput, and central sterile supply efficiency and quality assurance.

Dr. Schofield has also served as Chief of Staff of the OSU Wexner Medical Center, serving as a key liaison to senior leadership on behalf of medical staff during the COVID pandemic. As a senior quality leader, Dr. Schofield was instrumental in numerous quality improvement and patient safety initiatives aimed at ensuring evidence-based, timely, and equitable care in both acute and ambulatory settings. 

Dr. Schofield earned her medical degree and her Master of Public Health – Population Health Leadership and Management from The Ohio State University. She completed a general surgery internship at Mount Carmel Medical Center in Columbus, Ohio, and an otolaryngology–head and neck surgery residency at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center. 

Dr. Schofield is board-certified in otolaryngology-head and neck surgery, a Fellow of the American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy (AAOA), and she has been recognized with national awards from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), including the Distinguished Service Award and several Committee Excellence Awards. Additionally, Dr. Schofield is also the past elected Chair of the AAO-HNS Women in Otolaryngology Section.

To learn more, please visit www.leehealth.com.