'Our goal is to have zero serious safety events. If it's not zero, it's not acceptable'.

Charles Stokes, executive vice president and chief operating officer at Houston-based Memorial Hermann Health System, recently began his term as chairman of the American College of Healthcare Executives. At the leadership society, Stokes will focus on providing educational tools and best practices that help the nation's healthcare organizations improve quality and accountability. He has a good personal track record. Two of Memorial Hermann's hospitals recently won the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, presented every year to organizations that demonstrate excellence. Stokes was also named to Modern Healthcare's inaugural list of Top 25 COOs in Healthcare (p. 14). Modern Healthcare Southern Bureau Chief Dave Barkholz recently spoke with Stokes about his mission. The following is an edited transcript.