Taking on leadership roles can be one of the most meaningful ways to serve patients. Lana Dbeibo, MD, has never shied away from putting this belief into practice.
In addition to her work as an infectious disease specialist and an associate professor for the Indiana University School of Medicine, Dbeibo previously served as medical director of infection prevention at IU Health Methodist Hospital and was the Department of Medicine’s associate vice chair for clinical affairs, focused on quality, safety and population health.
Recently, she was named the associate chief medical officer for operations at IU Health’s Adult Academic Health Center, making her a member of the health system’s executive leadership team and giving her key influence over the protocols impacting patient safety.
At the bedside, Dbeibo said, clinicians see first-hand the moments when systems of care work beautifully to benefit patients — and the moments when those systems miss the mark. Those instances, the good and the bad, always stay with her and motivate her to help build processes that better serve patients and the teams caring for them.
She considers her leadership roles as a way to honor the work done by her talented and dedicated colleagues in the health system. In these posts, she’s able to play an active role in ensuring that the excellent care they provide is progressively easier, safer and more reliable.
“These dedicated doctors, nurses, advanced practice providers and staff show up every day despite real pressures,” Dbeibo said. “I am most eager to listen, learn and help turn the ideas of our frontline teams into meaningful change.”
Dbeibo’s career started at the American University of Beirut in her native Lebanon, where she attended medical school. She became a Hoosier when she matched with IU School of Medicine for her residency in internal medicine. She completed a fellowship in infectious diseases at IU in 2016 and immediately joined the IU faculty at the end of her training.
Dbeibo began stepping into leadership roles early in her tenure as a faculty member. In 2017, she became the medical director of infection prevention at IU Health Methodist Hospital. Her data-driven decision making quickly led to a 50% decline in certain hospital-acquired infections.
Dbeibo was a key member of IU’s Medical Response Team during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping to keep IU and IU Health operating safely. She led IU’s COVID-19 vaccination initiative, helped train medical students to administer injections, and participated in dozens of virtual town halls and media interviews to help lessen vaccine hesitancy.
Her hard work during those intensive days of the pandemic earned her recognition by the Indianapolis Business Journal, which named her to its “Forty Under 40” list for 2022.
As she settles into this newest role, Dbeibo will continue partnering across divisions, professions and clinical sites to make improvements. Progress does not come from one office or one title, she said; it comes from all of those who stay engaged in the mission.
“If we stay focused on patients, support each other and remain willing to improve, our clinical mission will continue to grow stronger,” she said. “I hope people will continue to bring forward ideas, concerns and solutions with the same honesty and commitment that make this department special.”
As one of the largest departments in both the school and the health system, the Department of Medicine can have a meaningful impact by providing feedback to health system leaders. Faculty members can help by continuing to share their ideas and speak up about which parts of the health system’s protocols are working, which protocols are not working, and what patients and teams need most, Dbeibo said.
“The Department of Medicine is full of people who deeply care about doing the right thing for patients, and I want to help amplify that, and create systems that facilitate that,” she said. “My hope is to strengthen the bridge between clinical care, operations, quality and safety so that our work feels more connected and less siloed. Most importantly, I hope to support a culture where people feel heard, empowered and proud of the care we deliver.”
