Heroes at MITSS

It was an evening of unabashed hero worship on my part as I attended the annual dinner for MITSS (Medically Induced Trauma Support Services).  Recall that the purpose of the organization is to create awareness, promote open and honest communication, and to provide services to patients, families, and clinicians affected by medically induced trauma.  Seen above is Lucian Leape, from the Harvard School of Public Health, who is generally acknowledged as one of the founders of the patient safety and quality of care movement.  He was greeting USCF's Robert Wachter, the keynote speaker for the evening, whose contributions to quality and safety are legend, including his recent book, Understanding Patient Safety.

Earlier I had run into patient advocate Pat Mastors, accompanied by daughter Elizabeth (above), and Dr. Stephen Pratt and Martha Hayward (below), who have worked tirelessly to enhance the role of patient advocates in the health care system.

But the final treat was to encounter Patty Skolnik (below).  My regular readers might recall the story of her son Michael and the tragedy that ensued as a result of an improper consent process and medical errors.  Patty is now the voice for Citizens for Patient Safety, traveling the world to tell the stories of her son and others and to give clinicians, insurance companies, the legal community, and consumers the impetus and tools for improving the quality and safety of patient care.