Dr. Leila Hartford

Leila Hartford is a global surgery researcher whose work centres on surgical-site infection, perioperative risk prediction, and quality improvement across diverse health systems. Affiliated with international collaborative networks, she has contributed to large multicentre cohort studies examining disparities in outcomes between high-, middle-, and low-resource settings, with a strong emphasis on equity and implementation science.

Her publications highlight expertise in predictive modelling and pragmatic evaluation of interventions. She led development and external validation of the Global Surgical-Site Infection model, demonstrating strengths in robust methodology and clinical applicability. Additional work explores telemedicine for postoperative wound assessment, perioperative oxygen strategies, and the impact of safety checklists, combining statistical rigour with real-world relevance.

Hartford’s scholarship also spans paediatric and colorectal surgery, cost-effectiveness analyses, and systematic reviews addressing operative strategies in varied contexts. Across these themes, her contributions advance data-driven policy, promote scalable surgical innovations, and strengthen the evidence base guiding safer surgery worldwide.