“Giving patients more of a voice in healthcare is hugely important” – Marty Hatlie

Marty Hatlie, CAPS founder and board member, participated on a panel at the MedStar Crouse Patient Safety Lecture on October 2, 2019. Hatlie joined patient safety legends Dr. Lucian Leape, professor emeritus of the Harvard School of Public Health, and Dr. Carolyn Clancy, Deputy Undersecretary for Discovery, Education and Affiliate Networks in the Veterans Health Administration. to discuss patient safety.

Dr. Leape is known as the grandfather of patient safety. His article, Error in Medicine, which appeared in the Journal of the American Medicine Association in 1994, was the first to bring attention to the high numbers of medical error deaths and the first to suggest systems theory as a solution. Dr. Clancy headed the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality for ten years as it worked to quantify and develop solutions for the problem. Marty Hatlie was instrumental in the formation of the National Patient Safety Foundation and was its first executive director. This distinguished panel addressed what has improved and what still needs to be done in the 25 years since Leape’s article kicked off the modern patient safety movement.

Leape noted that, “It’s not bad people, it’s bad systems.” Hatlie urged more systems adopt Just Culture and the CANDOR system of respectful and equitable response to adverse events. He noted that, “Giving patients more of a voice in healthcare is hugely important.” Hatlie also noted, “Let’s have our boards more reflect the consumers of care.”

Dr. Clancy suggested getting boards out of the board room and out on rounds. She said doing so would energize the board. Clancy pointed out that healthcare is a team sport. Patients and caregivers should be on the team!

Use this link to download and listen to the full lecture: http://bit.ly/2Oo6eL0