James Kurfess, MD

Dr. James Kurfess is Assistant Professor of Clinical Anesthesiology at Yale University School of Medicine, Associate Director of Quality Improvement Projects. Dr. Kurfess received his medical degree from New York Medical College in 2016 and subsequently completed a residency in Anesthesiology at the Yale University School of Medicine, serving as Chief Resident in 2020. During his time in that role, he focused on Quality Improvement, peer review, and was awarded the COVID-19 response medal from YNHH.

Following residency, Dr. Kurfess completed a Neuroanesthesia fellowship at Yale New Haven Hospital in 2021, publishing on the topic of Neuromonitoring and has presented numerous lectures, including at UT Southwestern on Processed EEG monitoring. He served as Director of Neuroanesthesia at Bridgeport Hospital, where he helped develop a comprehensive Enhanced Recovery after Surgery (ERAS) protocol for the Yale - New Haven Health System (YNHHS) and oversaw the completion of a newly constructed endovascular neuro-interventional suite. He also served as Director of Quality and Safety for Anesthesia at Bridgeport Hospital, developing robust multi-disciplinary peer review processes, overseeing successful JHCO re-credentialing, and implementing system-wide improvement projects to reduce patient complications from robotic surgery.

Currently, he is the Associate Director of Quality Improvement Projects for YNHSS and working clinically in the neurosurgical operating rooms at Yale-New Haven Hospital and well as on the Labor and Delivery floor at Bridgeport Hospital. He has clinical interest in neuromonitoring, intracranial and spine surgery, anesthesia for neuro-endovascular procedures, head and neck surgery, obstetrical anesthesia, protocol initiatives and quality improvement.