John Duval’s Legacy of Quality and Safety Lives on Through Named Fund
John Duval, who led VCU Health through more than a decade of significant growth as CEO of VCU Hospitals and Clinics and vice president for clinical affairs, died on June 9 in Tucson, Arizona. He was 73.
Duval retired in 2016 after 13 years in the role, and colleagues throughout Virginia Commonwealth University recall his dynamic leadership, strategic vision and extraordinary care for patients and team members.
He oversaw the health system’s growth, including the additions of Children’s Hospital of Richmond and Community Memorial Hospital.
At VCU Health, Duval’s focus on patient safety and quality of care led to numerous accolades for VCU Medical Center. Among them: the American Hospital Association’s top honor for leadership and innovation in safety and quality improvement, as well as recognition as one of the best hospitals in the country and the No. 1 ranking in Virginia by U.S. News & World Report.
His legacy of championing and delivering quality care and safety at VCU Health will live on forever. In 2016, the John F. Duval Fund for Quality and Safety was established to improve care at VCU Health. The fund perpetuates, enhances and supports efforts related to patient safety and quality in healthcare in the VCU Hospitals and Clinics. The support promotes the education of caregivers, team members, contractors, business partners and trainees about quality and safety, quality and safety pilot projects, evidence based research related to quality and safety in healthcare, and opportunities to leverage and implement new and novel performance improvement measures within the hospital and clinics.
Friends, colleagues and other who want to help advance Duval’s legacy in quality and safety can support the fund at www.mcvfoundation.org/DuvalFund. They can also contact Charmica Epps at eppscd3@vcu.edu or 804-4337182.
In addition, Duval and his wife, Valli, established the John F. and Valli S. Duval Endowed Professorship for Gastrointestinal Oncology at the University of Arizona College of Medicine to support cancer research.
