Karen Dekker is a registered nurse, a graduate of Butterworth School of Nursing; Grand Rapids, Michigan. She obtained a bachelors degree from Cornerstone University of Grand Rapids in 1972, and a masters of public administration with a healthcare option from Western Michigan University; Kalamazoo, Michigan, in 1992. Karen earned a Ph.D. degree in healthcare administration from Kennedy-Western University in 2000.

Karen has a diverse background of experience covering forty-seven years in healthcare. Most roles assumed were in leadership and administrative positions. Key past experiences include the establishment of an industrial clinic for H.J. Heinz Co., and several years of work with an intermediate school district. Efforts in collaboration with the school district and the local health department served the active migrant population in health screening, diagnosis, referral to healthcare providers, and coordination of the family through home visits. Ultimately, one of the first Rural Health Clinics in Michigan was established to expand those services. Approximately seven years was spent in hospital administration as clinical coordinator at Hackley Hospital; Muskegon, Michigan, with responsibilities for Pediatrics, Obstetrics, a Medical Surgical unit and overall operations on an "off-shift". Karen served a diverse healthcare corporation as Vice President for approximately seven years, with key responsibility for business development in an array of healthcare entities, including home health, rehab management, a durable medical equipment company, long-term care, subacute care, and pharmacy services. She played a key role in the implementation of quality improvement principles and techniques throughout the large, diverse company under the mentorship of Ron Moen from Associates in Process Improvement. She is well-educated in systems thinking and process improvement from a W. Edwards Deming perspective.

Karen has served the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations as a surveyor for over nine years and was trained to conduct free-standing ambulatory, hospitals through an integrated survey process addressing multiple entities at one time, and other complex network organizations using a multidisciplinary approach. Within the ambulatory program she was experienced in the Odyssey Air Force Base and worldwide Military Base surveys, the Community-Rural Health, and Office-Based Surgery initiatives. In 1997 she developed a model for comprehensive health care delivery, facilitated organizational structure, and participated in establishing an organization with a working Board of Directors to provide care to an undeserved population through an innovative intervention within a clinic setting.

Karen has successfully served as a healthcare consultant, preparing networks and integrated systems, diverse ambulatory and other settings, and hospital-based ambulatory settings for accreditation surveys. She is experience in training organizations in principles and implementation of quality improvement as well as root cause analysis.

Karen has been an active member of the American Society for Quality and has been a speaker at the national Audit Division Conference, Program Manager in the Annual Quality Congress, Chair of the National Standards Committee of the Healthcare Division. She represented the ASQC in presenting her paper entitled, "Leadership in a Quality Environment" at the first China-United States Quality Congress in Beijing, China. She also served as the National Chair of the ASQC Healthcare Standards Committee.

Karen currently serves in administration at Castle Family Health Centers; Atwater, California, and has designed and implemented an innovative quality improvement program there. Quality improvement is incorporated into the organization’s vision, mission, and practice.  Everyone at every level participates.  Leadership at every level accesses ongoing, “real time”  computerized data which indicates how the organization is performing.  Data is used to assist leadership in managing the organization to perform at high levels of quality and clinical care. 

There is a detailed plan of action for every risk and problem identified.  Improvements are measured so as to assure ongoing improvement.  There is accountability for performing according to quality standards.  Competence is assessed for every employee and clinical Provider of care.

Excellence is demanded and measured.   Castle Family Health Centers values learning and sharing.  Quality is more than oversight and review of past performance.  It is a vibrant, powerful part of everything we do.

Karen is very personable and has strengths in developing effective interpersonal relationships and exercising excellent communication skills. She exhibits a servant's spirit, is a knowledgeable resource, and an excellent teacher.