Dr. Katherine Matta is a generalist Obstetrician and Gynecologist that practices at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. Her interest and passion for women's health has focused obstetrics in the recent past. After completing a year long program at Harvard Medical School for SQIL (Safety, Quality, Informatics and Leadership), several improvements were implemented in the OB/GYN department. The protocol for the early start cesarean was streamlined and standardized. This was instrumental in communication with the anesthesia department, nursing and patient advocacy for a good experience and improve safety. Dr. Matta created a cesarean educational video to help explain expectations and what it looks like to undergo a cesarean. Many times language can be a barrier and communication while in labor is challenging. The use of IPOP with an interpreter that is actually communicating all the information correctly and fully has been improved as well.
Another part of women's health that has become a personal focus is breast cancer and how common and traumatic it can be. After completing a 60 mile walk with Susan B Komen to earn money for breast cancer research allowed to give back in some way to the community that has to continue to fight for best treatment plans and access to care.
Dr. Matta is newly joining the BU team and starting a Women's Leadership Program. The goal for any leadership role is to bring together a team and help guide and improve in standardizing the item that needs to be addressed.
She has been residency director in the past and now teaches the Physician assistants on the team and TUFTs PA students in the clinics.
Dr. Matta is an active participant in 2 committees at St. Elizabeth's Medical Center. She is on the Quality and Assurance committee that reviews all complications and cesarean deliveries. This helps find areas that can be improved upon and also gives feedback to provider and team members. The second committee is the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Hospital committee that reviews protocol for medications, review of medications that are new and safety for them. She just submitted to the committee the new RSV vaccine that has just been approved by the FDA in pregnancy between 32-36 weeks. This will allow the vaccine to be available in the clinics and to the patients at their visits.