Nicholas (Nick) Hilbert, Msn, Rn Email & Phone Number

Nicholas (Nick) Hilbert, MSN, RN, is a healthcare leader at UC San Diego Health, serving as Director of Clinical Quality Improvement (CQI) and Interim Director of Patient Safety. Leading a team of skilled healthcare professionals, Nick is committed to advancing quality of care, reducing harm, and achieving operational excellence. His leadership combines Lean methodologies, accountability, technology integration, collaboration, and recognition, fostering impactful partnerships across the institution.Under Nick’s leadership, the CQI team has implemented best practices in Surgery, Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS), Sepsis, Mortality, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, and OB/GYN, achieving reduced infection rates, improved mortality outcomes, decreased length of stay (LOS), and enhanced patient recovery.Nick has also joined the UC San Diego Health AI Committee, contributing his expertise in data, analytics, and quality to continue to explore AI's role in enhancing patient care and efficiency.In addition to leading CQI and Patient Safety initiatives, Nick oversees quality and regulatory data submissions to CMS, Leapfrog, Vizient, the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP), the California Maternal Quality Care Collaborative (CMQCC), and the California Perinatal Quality Care Collaborative (CPQCC). His team’s collaborative work with key champions and partners have driven improvements in performance metrics, elevating UC San Diego Health's reputation in CMS Star Ratings, Vizient Quality Rankings, and U.S. News & World Report standings.A champion of data-driven innovation, Nick has collaborated with Information Services and Analytics over the years to develop automated reporting and dashboard tools that provide real-time insights and facilitate continuous improvement. His contributions have earned both national and international recognition, including presentations at the American College of Surgeons and the ERAS World Congress in Spain. His authorship in journals like The New England Journal of Medicine highlight his impact on healthcare quality, collaboration, leadership, and patient safety.Nick holds a Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from The University of Iowa College of Nursing, and a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt from UC San Diego. Outside of work, he enjoys traveling, music, fitness, and spending time with family, friends, his dog, and partner.