Paul L. Epner

Paul L. Epner, MBA, MEd co-founded the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine (SIDM) and led the organization as CEO until stepping down in late 2021 after ten years. During his tenure, he created and chaired the Coalition to Improve Diagnosis, a collaborative of more than 70 professional societies, health systems, patient organizations, and organizations focused on improving healthcare quality. Paul also served as a member of the National Steering Committee for Patient Safety, a joint initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) and was a member of the National Quality Forum’s 2021 Leadership Consortium.

Prior to the work above, Paul was an employee of Abbott Diagnostics for 31 years in the United States, Japan, and China. He started his career as a 7th grade science teacher in Antioch, IL.

Previous to his SIDM work, Paul served on the Board of the Clinical Laboratory Management Association (CLMA) and served as its President for two years. He has also been a volunteer leader for initiatives at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

In addition to his employment, Paul has been an active as a volunteer. He currently serves as a member of the Board and Executive Committee of the American Jewish Committee, Midwest Region (AJC). He previously served for ten years on the Board of the Jewish Vocational Service culminating as its President. Prior to that, he served as a National Vice President for the Crohn’s Colitis Foundation.  In this last capacity, he founded two local chapters in Illinois and Wisconsin.  Paul was also an elected member of the School Board in Millburn, IL and in Shanghai, China.