An exorbitant amount of patient safety work has been done since the 2000 report “To err is human”, Many people enthusiastic about reaching “zero” have invested in decades of improvements. Despite this energy and investment, recent studies and statistics seem to indicate that the numbers of harm have not improved significantly.  As Don Berwick states in the January 2023 NEJM opinion “a firm answer to even the most basic question has been elusive: Has the nation made progress or not since “To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System” rang the alarm?”

A group of Minnesota safety leaders has been discussing the potential of re-framing the way that we think about patient safety focused on an initiative-taking vs. reactive response.  Can we identify ways to make patient care better and safer up front, rather than responding when something goes wrong?

The MAPS conference will introduce these concepts to healthcare professionals across the state.  This would give leaders the opportunity to start conversations, share innovative ideas and encourage each other through networking and collective brainstorming.  

Over the past 3 years there has been little to no time for reflection or connection which are critical to finding success for the future.  This conference will provide space and time to imagine a different future. During this time together, we will:

• Set starting point for future work. 
• Get people re-engaged and demonstrate the meaningful focus of the work in safety.
• Focus on re-building trust with the community and frontline staff.
• Give opportunities for connecting and networking with colleagues and patient partners.
• Create space for safety in the pressured context of health care.
• Build authentic and connected teams that go beyond silos to make care better.

Michelle Backes

As a Senior Certified Consultant at Trust Edge Leadership Institute, Michelle Backes specializes in leadership development and training and has contracted with everyone from USAA, Bayer, National Guard, Department of Natural Resources, State of Oregon Fire Chiefs, National Association of Fleet Administrators, Nevada Department of Transportation, College of Bermuda and several other businesses, educational institutions, and athletic teams. She is in her 25th year as a WNBA chaplain of the Minnesota Lynx and shares wisdom from all her diverse experiences on the stage, delivering high-energy, keynote presentations that inspire, motivate, and challenge people to be their best version of themselves. Clients and audiences love her practical strategies and tools for developing a high-trust culture in work and life.

Andrew Olson

Dr. Andrew Olson is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota Medical School, where he practices hospital medicine and pediatrics. He serves as the founding Director of the Division of Hospital Medicine within the Department of Medicine.  Dr. Olson presently serves as the Director of Medical Education Research and Innovation in the Medical Education Outcomes Center, focusing on linking education with clinical and workforce outcomes. Dr. Olson's academic work focuses on the nature and development of clinical reasoning as well as methods to measure and decrease diagnostic error. 

Ronn Lehmann

Ronn Lehmann is an adviser to organizations, leaders, and employees, focusing on the human factors that create safe work environments. He works with organizations in construction, mining, and other industries to help create cultural strategies that support their efforts to create a safe and successful workplace. Ronn conducts Cultural Audits to determine the Operational Culture that is helping (or hindering) safe decisions, and has interviewed thousands of leaders and employees at companies across the United States. These Audits have provided a wealth of knowledge on what works and doesn’t work in creating a true Culture of Safety. Ronn has spoken to many organizations and associations on the topics of Culture, Leadership, Safety Commitment, the Hazard of Complacency, and the Human Factors of Safety. He has also been a visiting instructor at Century College.

Kedar Mate

Kedar Mate, MD, is President and Chief Executive Officer at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), President of the IHI Lucian Leape Institute, and a member of the faculty at Weill Cornell Medical College. His scholarly work has focused on health system design, health care quality, strategies for achieving large-scale change, and approaches to improving value. Previously Dr. Mate worked at Partners In Health, the World Health Organization, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and served as IHI’s Chief Innovation and Education Officer. He has published numerous peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and white papers and has received multiple honors, including serving as a Soros Fellow, Fulbright Specialist, Zetema Panelist, and an Aspen Institute Health Innovators Fellow. Dr. Mate graduated from Brown University with a degree in American History and from Harvard Medical School with a medical degree. You can follow him on Twitter at @KedarMate

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