Filiz directs and oversees all aspects of her assigned projects ensuring compliance with registry standards and specifications. She ensures the goals and objectives of each project are met through oversight of her project management and data abstraction teams. Filiz resides in Florida. In her spare time she volunteers in the NICU at her local hospital, works with Angel Gowns which donates gowns to the NICU and she serves on the board of directors for a non-profit charity called Aortic Hope.
Filiz has served as a Registered Respiratory Therapist and a Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist. She has also served in various management positions in the Cardiology/Cardiac Cath Lab arena. Additionally, Filiz worked for the NCDR as a Clinical Quality Consultant where she provided support for various registry sites around the country and she has also served as the Data Manager for the Heart and Vascular Center at the University of Maryland where she was responsible for 10+ data registries, managing personnel and supporting the day to day operations of the department.
Filiz earned a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and a Bachelor’s degree in Respiratory Care from the State University of New York – Stonybrook. She is also a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and she is a member of the National Association for Healthcare Quality.
Q & A with Filiz:
Q: What do you find to be the most rewarding part of your career?
A: I find the most rewarding part of my career to be the privilege of impacting patient care even though I am not directly caring for the patient at the bedside any longer. If traced back, the common thread in each of the positions I have held takes me back to the patient and why I went into healthcare to begin with.
Q: Why do you believe clinical data registries are so important?
A: Clinical data registries have and will continue to play a significant role in patient care since they are a huge repository of information. With standardized definitions and on-going abstractor education, sites can use reliable benchmarked data to improve their internal operations and outcomes. Research opportunities are endless with data registries and these often impact patient care guidelines and recommendations. Taken another step further, analyzing trends in the data and taking into account such factors as comorbidities; predictive analytics may one day be used at all healthcare facilities to aid in reducing readmissions, for example. Each of these important opportunities would not exist without clinical data registries.
Q: What advice would you give someone who is considering a career in the healthcare quality, data collection and clinical outcomes area?
A: My advice would be to surround yourself with positive, enthusiastic leaders and mentors in the area in which you have interest and learn all you can from them. Take the “ancora imparo” approach, which means “I still learn” – never stop learning. Network with colleagues, volunteer in your professional organizations and learn from what others are doing (whether it be a new tool or a process) so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel … then pay it forward and share your wealth of knowledge with others!