Presented September 9, 2026 at the 2026 APSF Stoelting Conference on “SOS!: Signals of Safety… Safely across the Patient’s Perioperative Journey”
ABOUT THE SPEAKER(S)
Ronald A. Charles, MD, FACS
Assistant Professor of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University
Surgical Director of Operating Room Operations; Program Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center
Ronald A. Charles, MD, FACS, is an academic colorectal surgeon, educator, and healthcare leader dedicated to advancing both surgical excellence and the human experience within medicine. He serves as Assistant Professor of Surgery at Case Western Reserve University and holds key leadership roles in perioperative operations and surgical education at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, including Surgical Director of Operating Room Operations and Program Director of the Colon and Rectal Surgery Fellowship.
Clinically, Charles specializes in complex colorectal disease and is committed to delivering high-quality, patient-centered care. His academic work spans surgical outcomes, enhanced recovery pathways, and quality improvement, with a focus on translating evidence into meaningful improvements in patient safety and system performance.
Beyond his clinical and academic roles, Charles is a nationally recognized leader in transforming operating room culture. He is the architect of the “We Are the Culture” initiative, a multidisciplinary effort designed to reshape the operating room into a high-performing, psychologically safe, and team-centered environment. Grounded in behavioral science and organizational theory, this work emphasizes that culture is not a passive backdrop to care delivery, but an active and measurable driver of safety, performance, and well-being.
His leadership philosophy centers on the belief that excellence in healthcare is inseparable from the environments in which teams work. He has championed initiatives that promote psychological safety, strengthen interprofessional relationships, and create systems where individuals feel valued, empowered, and connected. This work reflects a broader commitment to elevating the human experience in medicine—recognizing that trust, respect, and purpose are as critical to outcomes as technical skill.
Through his scholarship, leadership, and programmatic innovation, Charles is helping to redefine culture as a core domain of patient safety and organizational excellence. His work aims not only to improve how care is delivered, but to transform how it feels to deliver it.
