Becker’s Healthcare Podcast Paula Ferrada, Chair of Surgery at Inova Fairfax Medical Campus
Jan 27, 2026
Paula Ferrada, trauma and acute care surgeon and Chair of Surgery at Inova Fairfax, shares her immigrant-to-leader journey. She talks about transforming OR culture and safety through teamwork. She discusses using LeanToss AI to boost OR utilization and strategies for building a regional trauma system. She explores balancing fee-for-service pressures with value-based care and thoughtful growth via respectful mergers.
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Immigrant Path To Leadership
- Paula Ferrada describes her immigrant journey from Colombia through multiple surgical trainings in the U.S. and leadership roles before joining Inova Health in 2021.
- She credits a patient-centered culture and psychological safety across roles for what motivates her daily work.
Make OR Efficiency A Team Effort
- Do build trust across surgeons, nurses, and anesthesia to improve on-time OR starts and reduce delays.
- Use technology like LeanToss to increase effective OR utilization and communicate changes clearly to teams.
Efficiency And Safety Reinforce Each Other
- Faster, more efficient OR workflows improved safety when grounded in mutual trust and psychological safety.
- Efficiency need not compromise safety if teams share a culture where every voice can speak up.