Darlene Evans, MSN, BSN, RN, CPHQ, NEA-BC

Darlene Evans is a healthcare quality leader with more than 30 years of experience specializing in clinical and regulatory operations management, accreditation readiness and response, staff training, and business development. With her expertise in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Joint Commission, and Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program standards and her commitment to education and collaboration, Darlene has a proven track record of helping clients identify opportunities for improvement and achieve sustainable, long-term results. She has also helped lead organizations through projects in areas such as operational effectiveness, infrastructure, staffing and productivity, fiscal stewardship, leadership development, and care delivery.

Darlene was Senior Manager of Clinical Operations, Quality, Safety, and Performance Improvement with Quorum Health Resources. In this role, she provided consultative services to 150 client hospitals, including accreditation, quality, and life safety and environment of care assessments, and the implementation of operational process improvement tools and best practices, as well as other specialty patient quality and safety initiatives.

Previously, Darlene worked with the Joint Commission International as a hospital and ambulatory care accreditation surveyor for healthcare organizations in Turkey, India, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and China. In addition to her consulting and surveyor experience, Darlene has served in full-time leadership roles including Chief Nursing Officer, Vice President of Patient Care Services, Assistant Vice President of Nursing Services, and Director of Quality Management and Education.

Darlene earned her Master’s degree and Bachelor's Degree in Nursing from Troy State University in Troy, AL. She has also taken courses in business and management and is Lean Six Sigma certified. Darlene is a Registered Nurse, a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality, and a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives and the National Association for Healthcare Quality.