Tampa General Hospital’s Dr. Laura Haubner and Nicole Justice Named Patient Safety Experts to Know by Becker’s Hospital Review

The academic health system’s leaders are recognized for their leadership in advancing patient safety, quality outcomes and a culture of continuing excellence.

Tampa, FL (August 28, 2025) – Dr. Laura Haubner, senior vice president and chief quality officer, and Nicole Justice, vice president of patient safety, risk and insurance, at Tampa General Hospital (TGH), have been recognized on Becker’s Hospital Review’s list of “Patient Safety Experts to Know” for 2025. This national recognition honors Haubner and Justices’ significant contributions to improving patient safety and implementing innovative quality improvement strategies at Tampa General.

“Laura and Nicole’s collective leadership has been instrumental in elevating our academic health system’s quality and safety programs to new heights,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General. “Their ability to integrate clinical insights with strategic vision has strengthened our system-wide commitment to continuous improvement and positioned our team to deliver safer, more effective care.”

In her role, Haubner leads Tampa General’s enterprise-wide quality initiatives, developing and executing strategies that enhance clinical outcomes, standardize evidence-based practices and foster a culture of safety across the academic health system. Drawing on more than two decades of experience, she combines her expertise as a practicing physician with her administrative leadership to ensure patient needs remain at the forefront of every initiative.

Haubner began her career at Tampa General in 2000 as the medical director of Neonatal ECMO, a role she continues to hold. Her ongoing clinical work informs her leadership approach, ensuring that quality improvement efforts are grounded in real-world patient care. She has spearheaded initiatives to reduce variation in care, leverage data analytics to identify opportunities for improvement and align quality goals with the hospital’s broader strategic priorities.

“At Tampa General, we are relentless in our pursuit of creating the safest possible environment for our team members and patients, and this recognition is a true reflection of those collective efforts,” said Haubner. “Everything we do is anchored in our mission to deliver high-quality care while constantly learning, innovating and evolving in our understanding of quality and safety.”

As vice president of patient safety, risk and insurance, Justice reports directly to Haubner and oversees all aspects of patient safety for the academic health system, ensuring patient care is delivered in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations while fostering a culture of safety across the organization. Justice is responsible for aligning strategic and operational safety initiatives throughout all levels of the organization while reporting to state and federal regulatory agencies. Under her leadership, her team develops and executes strategic and operational risk management plans, applying learnings to the overall harm reduction strategy and comprehensive patient safety program for the health system.

Justice’s team drove a sustained increase in safety event reporting by more than 25% in two years and transformed Tampa General’s patient safety approach, focusing on reinforcing a culture of safety. She is one of three certified leaders appointed to Tampa General’s Reliability Management Team, which is responsible for advancing Tampa General on the path to becoming a certified Collaborative High Reliability Organization®. Justice also collaborates closely with the health system’s academic partner, the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, to enhance resident physician education and increase their engagement in Tampa General’s patient safety initiatives.

“It’s an honor to be recognized alongside Laura and an impressive group of patient safety leaders across the nation,” said Justice. “I’m incredibly proud of what our team has achieved at Tampa General. Our work requires curiosity and a spirit of innovation – especially in an academically-driven environment – and underscores how essential it is always to find opportunities to learn and improve.”

Becker’s Hospital Review is a leading source of business and policy news for health care executives. The annual “Patient Safety Experts to Know” list recognizes clinicians nationwide who are driving measurable improvements in patient safety and quality of care. Haubner, Justice and the other recognized leaders are profiled here.