Barbara Kuppel, MS, BSN, RN, CPHQ, has been appointed vice president and chief nursing officer (CNO) at Buffalo General Medical Center/Gates Vascular Institute (BGMC/GVI).
Kuppel was named interim CNO in November 2022, filling the role previously held by Dianne Charsha who has left the organization.
As vice president and CNO, Kuppel will develop and implement clinical practice guidelines and quality indicators, plus oversee nursing strategies and policies, all with a focus on delivering the highest quality care to our patients.
Kuppel has been with Kaleida Health for over 30 years, most recently serving as the chief quality and patient safety officer for BGMC/GVI since 2017. She spent 25 years at Oishei Children's Hospital rising through the nurse leadership ranks. Starting out as a staff nurse, then clinical nurse educator, nurse supervisor and nurse manager. She also worked with Risk Management as a regulatory compliance specialist and has spent the last seven years leading the Quality and Infection Prevention Teams at BGMC/GVI.
Kuppel graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University at Buffalo School of Nursing and received a master’s degree in Health Services Administration from D'Youville University. She is also a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality and was named Nurse of Distinction for BGMC/GVI in 2018.
The search for a new chief quality and patient safety officer for BGMC/GVI is underway.