Laura A. Petersen

Laura A. Petersen, M.D., M.P.H., is a Professor in the Department of Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine and holds leadership roles at both Baylor and the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center. She serves as Section Chief of Health Services Research at Baylor, Director of the Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt) at the VA, and Associate Chief of Staff for Research at the VA Medical Center in Houston.

• Professor, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine
• Section Chief, Health Services Research, Baylor College of Medicine
• Director, Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt), Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center
• Associate Chief of Staff for Research, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center

Dr. Petersen earned her M.D. from Case Western Reserve University and completed her residency and fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School. She also holds an M.P.H. from the Harvard School of Public Health.

• M.D., Case Western Reserve University (1988)
• Internship and Residency, Internal Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital (1989, 1991)
• Fellowship, General Internal Medicine, Harvard Medical School (1993)
• M.P.H., Harvard School of Public Health (1993)

Her research focuses on how health care policy, organization, and financing influence the quality and safety of care. She develops advanced methodologies for assessing health care quality and conducts rigorous evaluations of health policy interventions. Her work is central to improving patient outcomes and advancing learning health systems.

Dr. Petersen has been recognized with numerous honors, including the VA Under Secretary's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Services Research and induction into the Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame. She is an elected member of the Association of American Physicians and the American Clinical and Climatological Association.

• Under Secretary's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Health Services Research (2017)
• Inducted Member, Greater Houston Women's Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame (2015)
• Elected Member, Association of American Physicians (2011)
• Invited Fellow, American College of Physicians (2008)

She leads major research initiatives and centers focused on health care innovation and quality improvement. As Director of IQuESt, she oversees a multidisciplinary team conducting high-impact studies on health system effectiveness, safety, and equity. Her leadership in grants and national policy panels underscores her influence in shaping evidence-based health care reform.

The Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety (IQuESt) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is a key hub for health services research under Dr. Petersen’s direction. The center fosters collaboration across institutions and disciplines to develop and implement strategies that enhance health care delivery, patient safety, and system-wide quality metrics.