Skip to content
Michael S. Leonard, M.D., M.S.

Michael S. Leonard, M.D., M.S.

he/him/his

Pediatrics, Pediatric Hospital Medicine, General Pediatrics

UR Medicine Faculty The University of Rochester Medical Faculty Group (URMFG) consists of over 900 specialist and primary care providers spanning 19 departments. URMFG is certified by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.
Accountable Health Partner Accountable Health Partners (AHP) is a network of over 2,000 community and UR medical faculty and a dozen leading hospitals throughout the region. AHP offers a full range of care.
Not Accepting New Patients

Contact

About Me

Dr. Leonard is a board-certified pediatric hospitalist. His clinical focus is providing and coordinating comprehensive, family-centered pediatric care in the inpatient setting, particularly to infants and young children. He welcomes, supports and affirms patients and their loved ones of all sexual o...
Dr. Leonard is a board-certified pediatric hospitalist. His clinical focus is providing and coordinating comprehensive, family-centered pediatric care in the inpatient setting, particularly to infants and young children. He welcomes, supports and affirms patients and their loved ones of all sexual orientations and gender identities.

Professional Background

Dr. Leonard is the Chief Safety Officer for the University of Rochester Medical Center as well as the Associate Chief Medical Officer and Associate Vice President for Healthcare Safety. He oversees patient, employee and psychological safety efforts across the organization, working with teams of phys...
Dr. Leonard is the Chief Safety Officer for the University of Rochester Medical Center as well as the Associate Chief Medical Officer and Associate Vice President for Healthcare Safety. He oversees patient, employee and psychological safety efforts across the organization, working with teams of physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, clinical staff, administrators, patients, families and others to create an optimal care environment. Dr. Leonard holds a Master of Science degree in Epidemiology. He is certified as a professional in patient safety (CPPS) and as a medical review officer (MRO).

Dr. Leonard is a member of the United States Medical Licensing Examination Patient Safety Test Material Development Committee for the National Board of Medical Examiners. He is the current chair of MCIC Vermont's Patient Safety Organization Committee. He recently completed a 6-year tenure as American Academy of Pediatrics liaison to the Joint Commission.

Faculty Appointments

Professor - Department of Pediatrics, Pediatric Hospitalist (SMD)

Professor - Department of Public Health Sciences (SMD) - Joint

Credentials

Residency & Fellowship

Residency, Pediatrics, Women & Childrens Hospital of Buffalo-GME. 1997 - 1999

Internship, Pediatrics, Women & Childrens Hospital of Buffalo-GME. 1996 - 1997

Education

MD | SUNY at Buffalo-School of Medicine & Biomedical Sciences (USA). 1996

Awards

Meliora Award on behalf of SMH Employee Health. 2021

ICARE Bronze Star. 2020

ICARE Silver Star. 2019

ICARE Bronze Star. 2019

Hospital Association of New York State Pinnacle Award for Quality and Patient Safety. 2015

Board Service Excellence Team Award. 2012

Patient and Family Centered Care, Top Performers Award. 2012 - 2013

Patient and Family Centered Care Award. 2011 - 2012

Ruth A. Lawrence Academic Faculty Service Award in Clinical Services. 2011

Certificate of Appreciation. 2010

Dean's Letter of Commendation. 1994

Summa Cum Laude. 1992

Phi Beta Kappa. 1991

University Honors Scolar. 1988 - 1992

Research

Dr. Leonard's research interests are in the area of Improvement Science. Specifically, he focuses on developing and evaluating strategies to (1) reduce the risk of medical errors and adverse events, (2) improve the quality of patient care, and (3) integrate interprofessional improvement science educ...
Dr. Leonard's research interests are in the area of Improvement Science. Specifically, he focuses on developing and evaluating strategies to (1) reduce the risk of medical errors and adverse events, (2) improve the quality of patient care, and (3) integrate interprofessional improvement science education for faculty, clinical staff, trainees and students.

Publications

Journal Articles

Guidance for Structuring a Pediatric Intermediate Care Unit.

Ettinger NA, Hill VL, Russ CM, Rakoczy KJ, Fallat ME, Wright TN, Choong K, Agus MSD, Hsu B, , Mack E, Day S, Lowrie L, Siegel L, Srinivasan V, Gadepalli S, Hirshberg EL, Kissoon N, October T, Tamburro RF, Rotta A, Tellez S, Rauch DA, Ernst K, Vinocur C, Lam VT, Romito B, Hanson N, Gigli KH, Mauro M, Leonard MS, Alexander SN, Davidoff A, Besner GE, Browne M, Downard CD, Gow KW, Islam S, Saunders Walsh D, Williams RF, Thorne V

Pediatrics.. 2022 May 1149 (5)Epub 1900 01 01.

Improving the Timing of Laboratory Studies in Hospitalized Children: A Quality Improvement Study.

Ramazani SN, Gottfried JA, Kaissi M, Lynn J, Leonard MS, Schriefer J, Bayer ND,

Hospital pediatrics.. 2021 June 22 Epub 06/22/2021.

It Took a Global Pandemic to Demonstrate the Value of Using Technology to Routinely Collect and Use Patient-Reported Outcomes.

Bernstein DN, Leonard MS, Hasselberg MJ, Apostolakos MJ, Baumhauer JF

Journal of patient experience.. 2021 8 :23743735211054934. Epub 11/18/2021.

The Value of Family Advisors as Coleaders in Pediatric Quality Improvement Efforts: A Qualitative Theme Analysis.

Ramazani S, Bayer ND, Gottfried JA, Wagner J, Leonard MS, Lynn J, Schriefer J

Journal of patient experience.. 2020 December 7 (6):1708-1714. Epub 07/10/2020.

Resources Recommended for the Care of Pediatric Patients in Hospitals.

Ernst KD

Pediatrics.. 2020 April 145 (4)Epub 03/23/2020.

Principles of Pediatric Patient Safety: Reducing Harm Due to Medical Care.

Mueller BU, Neuspiel DR, Fisher ERS

Pediatrics.. 2019 February 143 (2)Epub 01/22/2019.

Physician's Role in Coordinating Care of Hospitalized Children.

Rauch DA, ,

Pediatrics.. 2018 August 142 (2)Epub 1900 01 01.

Association between resource utilization and patient satisfaction at a tertiary care medical center.

Biondi EA, Hall M, Leonard MS, Pirraglia PA, Alverson BK

Journal of hospital medicine.. 2016 November 11 (11):785-791. Epub 06/08/2016.

A 14-Year-Old Boy With Mycoplasma pneumoniae-Associated Mucositis and Intracranial Hypertension.

Winikor JM, Kennedy JC, Leonard MS, Dwyer-Matzky KE

Clinical pediatrics.. 2016 January 55 (1):83-5. Epub 02/08/2015.

Proportional Distribution of Patient Satisfaction Scores by Clinical Service: The PRIME Model.

Leonard MS, Foster B, Biondi EA

Journal of patient experience.. 2015 November 2 (2):18-22. Epub 11/01/2015.

Patient Safety and Quality Improvement: Reducing Risk of Harm.

Leonard MS

Pediatrics in review. 2015 October 36 (10):448-56; quiz 457-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Interobserver reliability of attending physicians and bedside nurses when using an inpatient paediatric respiratory score.

Biondi EA, Gottfried JA, Dutko Fioravanti I, Schriefer JA, Aligne CA, Leonard MS

Journal of clinical nursing.. 2015 May 24 (9-10):1320-6. Epub 11/25/2014.

Tempering pediatric hospitalist supervision of residents improves admission process efficiency without decreasing quality of care.

Biondi EA, Leonard MS, Nocera E, Chen R, Arora J, Alverson B

Journal of hospital medicine.. 2014 February 9 (2):106-10. Epub 12/31/2013.

Patient safety and quality improvement: an overview of QI.

Schriefer J, Leonard MS

Pediatrics in review. 2012 August 33 (8):353-9; quiz 359-60. Epub 1900 01 01.

Patient safety and quality improvement: medical errors and adverse events.

Leonard MS

Pediatrics in review. 2010 April 31 (4):151-8. Epub 1900 01 01.

Patterns and changes in prescriber attitudes toward PDA prescription-assistive technology.

Vishwanath A, Brodsky L, Shaha S, Leonard M, Cimino M

International journal of medical informatics.. 2009 May 78 (5):330-9. Epub 12/17/2008.

Building evidence-based practice with staff nurses through mentoring

Mariano, KD; Caley, LM; Eschberger, L; Woloszyn, A; Volker, P; Leonard, MS; Tung, Y.

Journal of Neonatal Nursing. 2009; 15(3): 81-87.

Infantile gastroesophageal reflux in a hospital setting.

Baker SS, Roach CM, Leonard MS, Baker RD

BMC pediatrics.. 2008 March 278 :11. Epub 03/27/2008.

Risk reduction for adverse drug events through sequential implementation of patient safety initiatives in a children's hospital.

Leonard MS, Cimino M, Shaha S, McDougal S, Pilliod J, Brodsky L

Pediatrics.. 2006 October 118 (4):e1124-9. Epub 1900 01 01.

Establishing a culture of patient safety through a low-tech approach to reducing medication errors.

Shaha, SH; Brodsky, L; Leonard, MS; et al.

Journal of Medical Licensure and Discipline. 2006; 92(3): 28-35.

Establishing a culture of patient safety through a low-tech approach to reducing medication errors.

Shaha, S; Brodsky, L; Leonard, MS; et al.

Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation. 2005; 3(AHRQ Publication #050021): 28-35.

Books

Complications in pediatric surgery: an individual and systems approach (2008)

Chapter: Application of a systems approach to pediatric medication safety

Authors: Leonard, MS

Publisher: Marcel Dekker, New York, NY 2008