Craig Deao , MHA

Craig Deao is the Research & Development Leader for Studer Group. As a member of the senior leadership team, Craig is responsible for several areas of operations including new product development, generation of intellectual capital, research, marketing, educational Institutes and Studer Group’s Speaker’s Bureau.

Craig has a passion for identifying and spreading best practices across the healthcare industry, particularly those that improve patient care.  His areas of interest include patient safety, patient perception of care, and the intersection of evidence-based medicine with Evidence-Based Leadership^SM. He is trained in the application of aviation Crew Resource Management techniques to reduce medical errors.

Since 1999 Craig has been involved at the national level on several initiatives impacting the quality of healthcare, including patient safety and charting a new system for ensuring continual assessment of nursing competencies.

Prior to joining Studer Group, Craig served in several capacities at VHA in Dallas, TX, an alliance of 2,200 healthcare organizations.  His roles at VHA included director of product development and senior director of education & networking.  While at VHA, Craig’s primary role was to facilitate the exchange of ideas and best practices among the executives leading VHA’s member healthcare organizations.

Past healthcare experiences include leading a yearlong new product development venture with the world's largest independent medical technology company; market share assessment for a solo practitioner considering relocating his practice; productivity improvement for a multispecialty group practice; and more than 500 hours of service to East Jefferson General Hospital (Metairie, LA), Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and Woman’s Hospital (both in Baton Rouge, LA).

Born and raised in New Orleans, Craig received bachelor’s degrees in Mass Communication and Animal, Dairy and Poultry Science from Louisiana State University, where he was nominated to the Rhodes scholarship competition.  He received his master’s degree in healthcare administration from the University of Minnesota and currently serves on their Alumni Board of Directors.  He is a member of the American College of Healthcare Executives.