Her Story
About Prerna
Prerna S. Kahlon is a visionary healthcare executive and national thought leader with more than 25 years of experience advancing quality, patient safety, high reliability, and enterprise transformation. She currently serves as Vice President of Quality, Patient Safety and Process Improvement at Grady Health System, where she leads enterprise-wide strategies spanning quality, safety, performance improvement, high reliability, analytics, and regulatory performance. Known for her ability to translate improvement science into measurable results, Prerna partners with executive leaders, clinicians, and multidisciplinary teams to strengthen systems, reduce preventable harm, and elevate standards of care.
A clinically grounded and improvement science-driven leader, Prerna began her career as a dentist in India before earning a master's degree in public administration with a focus on health administration from Suffolk University's Sawyer School of Management. Her transition into healthcare quality and patient safety began through an internship that introduced her to process improvement and ultimately led to leadership roles at Boston-area hospitals, including Boston Children's Hospital. There, she developed quality measurement and improvement infrastructures, applied Lean Six Sigma and the IHI Model for Improvement, and achieved significant outcomes, including a 69% reduction in NICU central line-associated bloodstream infections. She has also served as a capstone advisor and director for healthcare leadership programs through Harvard Medical School and continues to contribute to leadership development and education.
Prerna is recognized for her expertise in quality and patient safety, process improvement, high reliability, performance improvement, and quality analytics. At Grady, she has spearheaded a system-wide high-reliability transformation, established a robust cause-analysis program, strengthened safety event reporting, and advanced performance against national quality benchmarks. Her professional credentials include Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ), Certified Professional in Patient Safety (CPPS), and Certified Lean Six Sigma Black Belt (CLSSBB). Beyond her executive responsibilities, Prerna is passionate about mentorship, women's leadership, continuous learning, and building cultures where teams collaborate, develop their strengths, and pursue excellence together.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Prerna
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to my parents, who always spoke life into me, and my husband, who has consistently believed in me. My journey from practicing dentistry in India to earning my master’s degree in Boston, earning certifications as a CPHQ, CPPS, and Lean Six Sigma Black Belt, and taking on progressive leadership roles in healthcare business and quality improvement has shaped my growth. Since joining Grady in 2019, I have focused on quality, patient safety, process improvement, standardization, high reliability, and building problem-solving capabilities across the organization.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I received was to invest in excellent training, continue learning, and share my work with others. Early in my career, Dr. Sanjay Saini encouraged me to publish my work, which taught me the value of sharing knowledge and contributing to my field. My education, professional certifications, and continued development have reinforced the importance of staying curious, building expertise, and seeking opportunities to grow.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering my industry is to believe that you can accomplish anything through hard work, perseverance, and staying involved. I also encourage giving back to the community through service and supporting organizations that make a meaningful difference. Volunteering with my daughter has been especially rewarding, whether through food pantries, children’s programs, or charitable initiatives supporting families in need.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in my field is continuously finding new ways to improve safety for both patients and staff. In my role, I focus on identifying opportunities for improvement, strengthening processes, and promoting a culture of quality and safety across the organization.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me are hard work, perseverance, and making a meaningful impact. I am passionate about sharing my journey and demonstrating how dedication can lead to success. I value continuous improvement and patient safety, and I am proud of my work advancing high reliability and quality while collaborating with teams and stakeholders to create safer, better outcomes.
In my personal life, it's important for me to develop meaningful relationships, take time to decompress, and rest and recover. I value the time I spend with my family, exploring the world through travel, and taking care of my health by staying active in many ways and eating healthy.
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