Panel Discussion

I participated as a panelist in the 2014 Innovations in Medical Education Conference down in Los Angeles this weekend. I was part of a breakfast panel sponsored by The American Resident Project (where I also contribute blogs!) where we discussed the relationship between patient safety and health equity. I was joined by leaders in industry, medical education, and academia, and our audience of 60-80 included educators, administrators, community physicians, and residents. We had an engaging, challenging, and lively conversation, and when the session ended, many people still had questions, a sign that the topic was pretty interesting to all.

I don't have a particular expertise in patient safety and health equity, but it's always been an interest of mine. Writing this blog and participating in The American Resident Project have given me extensive opportunities to discuss these timely subjects and interact with thought leaders. We discussed initiatives by health management organizations to combat minority inequity in outcomes, changes in graduate medical education structures to encourage more resident awareness in quality improvement, and the use of interpreters as a case study on how we can overcome language and cultural barriers. As an anesthesiologist, patient safety is something I think about every day, but race, ethnicity, and culture are things I do not regularly ponder. This panel discussion helped me bridge these ideas and focus the spotlight on how we can improve the delivery of patient care. It was a great opportunity to work with brilliant, motivated, and inspiring leaders on an oft-overlooked topic.