Baltimore, MD, March 13, 2017 - The American Urological Association (AUA) today announced its Board of Directors has approved David F. Penson, MD, MPH as the new chair of its Science &, Quality (S&,Q) Council. He will assume the role of chair-elect on June 1, 2017 and begin his two-year term as chair on June 1, 2018.

In his new role, Dr. Penson will lead the AUA S&,Q Council, providing strategic oversight to shape and execute the broad science, quality, and data agenda of the AUA. This includes supporting and expanding the AUA Quality (AQUA) Registry, and developing and disseminating evidence-based guidelines, patient safety and quality improvement initiatives, physician performance measures and white papers. He will also oversee the activities of the following AUA committees: Data, Practice Guidelines and Quality Improvement &, Patient Safety.

"We are honored to welcome Dr. Penson as our incoming chair of science and quality," said AUA President, Richard K. Babayan, MD. "His depth of experience in this area is unmatched, and we are confident that with his years of proven leadership, achievements and hands-on experience, he will lead the council and AUA to even greater success."

An active member of the AUA since 1997, Dr. Penson most recently served as chair of the AUA Public Policy Council and previously held leadership positions on the AUA Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Committee and AUA Practice Guidelines Committee. Additionally, he served as AUA representative to the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the National Quality Forum.

"Dr. Penson has the full confidence and support of our Board," said AUA President-elect and presiding officer of the S&,Q Chair Search Committee, J. Brantley Thrasher, MD. "Although the Search Committee had three outstanding candidates, Dr. Penson',s tremendous experience in all areas of the Council made him the best person to lead the next chapter of the AUA',s science, data and quality initiatives.", , ,

An internationally recognized expert within the urology community, Dr. Penson is professor and chair of urologic surgery at Vanderbilt University, where he currently maintains a clinical practice in urologic oncology at Vanderbilt's Ingram Cancer Center. Additionally, he serves as the director of the Vanderbilt Center for Surgical Quality and Outcomes Research and is the Hamilton and Howd Chair in Urologic Oncology. His specific research interests include the comparative effectiveness of treatment options in localized prostate cancer and the impact of the disease and its treatment on patients' quality of life. , He has received federal grant funding from the National Cancer Institute, the US Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute. He previously chaired the National Institutes of Health's Health Services Outcomes and Delivery (HSOD) study section, which reviews almost all health services research grant submitted to the NIH. , , ,

About the American Urological Association: ,Founded in 1902 and headquartered near Baltimore, Maryland, the American Urological Association is a leading advocate for the specialty of urology, and has more than 21,000 members throughout the world. The AUA is a premier urologic association, providing invaluable support to the urologic community as it pursues its mission of fostering the highest standards of urologic care through education, research and the formulation of health policy.

###