The UNC Department of Urology is excited to announce the creation of two new positions that will play a pivotal role in enhancing the quality of patient care and furthering our commitment to excellence. We are proud to announce that Drs. Hans Arora and Dave Friedlander will serve as the Department’s inaugural Co-Directors of Quality Improvement (QI).
Dr. Matthew Nielsen, Chair of the UNC Department of Urology and Dr. Katherine Chan, Vice Chair of Research for the department have chosen these two faculty members to lead the charge in shaping the future of quality improvement within our department. They will play a crucial role in advancing the quality of care, patient satisfaction, and provider experiences within UNC Urology. They will recruit and lead a multi-disciplinary QI team that will work collaboratively to generate a list of improvement goals and priorities and create a QI plan to address each of them.
We look forward to the positive impact they will have on our department and the broader healthcare community.
About the Co-Director of Quality Improvement Role
Drs. Arora and Friedlander will be responsible for spearheading new and existing quality improvement initiatives, fostering collaboration among faculty, trainees, and healthcare professionals, and driving innovative projects that elevate patient care. This multifaceted role encompasses mentoring residents in quality improvement, overseeing the resident QI curriculum, promoting resident-initiated QI projects, and maintaining comprehensive project records. As Co-Directors they will also be charged with developing quality improvement curricula for students and fellows, facilitating presentations, moderating resident QI updates, and actively participating in the academic discourse.
“As Vice Chair of Research for the UNC Department of Urology, I am thrilled to announce the appointment of Drs. Hans Arora and David Friedlander as the Co-Directors of Quality Improvement for our department. These esteemed physicians bring with them a dedication to excellence in patient quality and safety that will improve outcomes for our patients and the healthcare system. Their commitment to training the next generation of urology leaders in QI methodology is commendable and will undoubtedly enhance our outstanding urology residency program. I have full confidence in their ability to lead us towards even greater heights of excellence in urologic care.”
Katherine Chan, MD, MPH
Vice Chair For Research
Director of The Pediatric Kidney Stone Clinic
Director of Pediatric Urology Research
Associate Professor of Urology
“Like many academic urology departments, education of future urologists is a core driver of so much of what we do. Since the implementation of the ACGME Common Program Requirements mandating quality improvement work, training programs across the country have embraced this directive with varying degrees of depth and breadth. I strongly believe in nurturing the next generation of healthcare professionals to become adept in quality improvement and research.”
Hans Arora, MD, PhD
Director of Pediatric Robotic Surgery
Assistant Professor Of Urology
“The field of medicine is rapidly moving towards value-based care, and it is incumbent upon health systems and providers to adapt to this evolving health delivery landscape. I believe that many of the principles and theories central to quality improvement are also central to value-based health care delivery. As such, I feel that my unique background in health policy evaluation and outcomes research makes me uniquely suited to help the Department of Urology through the broader and ongoing transition away from volume to value-based care.”
Dave Friedlander, MD, MPH
Assistant Professor Of Urology
About Hans Arora, MD, PhD
Dr. Arora is a physician-scientist who joined the department in 2021. Possessing both MD and PhD degrees from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, he completed his Urology residency at the prestigious Cleveland Clinic Foundation Glickman Urologic & Kidney Institute. Dr. Arora’s expertise extends across pediatric and adult urology, with a specialized focus on advancing patient care through minimally-invasive surgical techniques, including robotic surgery.
Dr. Arora’s contributions to UNC Urology have been remarkable. Just one example includes his assuming the role of Director of Pediatric Robotic Surgery, demonstrating his commitment to enhancing the field. Additionally, his influence extends to the national stage as he served as an AUA Delegate at the 2022 American Medical Association House of Delegates Interim Meeting. At UNC, Dr. Arora actively contributed as Co-Chair of the Quality & Safety Subcommittee of the UNC GME Clinical Learning Environment Review Taskforce.
Furthermore, Dr. Arora’s dedication to his own professional growth is evident in his selection to participate in the UNC Leadership in Academic Medicine Program (LAMP) for the 2023-2024 cohort. This program is tailored to support junior faculty within their first three years, promoting community, purpose, direction, and confidence in their academic careers. LAMP equips participants with the necessary tools for success, covering critical aspects of career planning and professional development, including team building and financial literacy.
Dr. Hans Arora’s multifaceted expertise, leadership roles, and dedication to improving urology and healthcare at large make him an invaluable asset to UNC Urology and the medical community as a whole.
About Dave Friedlander, MD, MPH
After graduating from Bowdoin College, Dr. Friedlander began his career as a research fellow in the California State Capitol, serving in the office of the vice-chair of the health committee. Dr. Friedlander later earned his Medical Doctorate from Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, while also completing a Master of Public Health (MPH) degree at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. He then pursued his Urology residency at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and later embarked on an NIH-funded research fellowship. Dr. Friendlander subsequently completed a clinical fellowship in endourology and minimally invasive surgery at the University of California-San Diego.
Since joining UNC Urology in 2020, Dr. Friedlander has garnered numerous accolades and awards, including:
- Named a Science & Quality Fellow by the American Urological Association (AUA) for 2020-2021.
- Received the Junior Faculty Development Award from the UNC Committee on Faculty Research and Scholarly Leaves.
- Recognized as one of the 2021 Urology Care Foundation Research Scholar Awardees – receiving the Endourological Society Joseph Segura, MD Scholarship in Endourology and Stone Management Award.
- Participated in the 2021 High-Value Practice Academic Alliance’s (HVPAA) Value Innovation Teaching and Leadership (VITAL) program.
- Awarded an NC TraCS $5-50K pilot grant to further his research into the medical and surgical management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
- Selected as a UNC Improvement Scholar by the UNC Institute for Healthcare Quality Improvement (IHQI).
- Chosen to participate in a groundbreaking NC Kidney, Urology, Hematology (KUH) Training, Research, Innovation, Outreach (TRIO) Program
Dr. Friedlander’s research interests encompass the intricate relationship between healthcare policy, surgical outcomes, and costs. He is equally passionate about exploring the interplay between clinical and social factors that influence the quality of healthcare delivery. Notably, his recent research endeavors have centered on identifying and characterizing high-value pathways of surgical care, with a particular focus on the treatment of urinary stones and benign urological conditions.