I felt honored to be asked to give the keynote, this past week, for the 2nd Annual Baxter Medication Delivery User Group Meeting, in Hilton Head, South Carolina. Baxter has been a committed medication safety partner of the Emily Jerry Foundation for many years!
Even though I am still recovering from that horrible accident I was in on February 22nd, where I was literally hit by a Mack truck, it feels really good to be just starting to get back to doing the work that I am so passionate about with the Emily Jerry Foundation! This week I felt very privileged to be invited to speak at the University of Rochester Medical Center. I have already given two CE accredited lectures on patient and medication safety to the entire pharmacy staff. Today, I will be finishing up my visit to URMC by giving a special hospital-wide Grand Safety Rounds lecture to all of these amazing clinician/caregivers, who share my exact same passion for saving lives from preventable medical error!
Really looking forward to speaking tomorrow morning at WellStar Health System’s 2019 Spring Medical Staff Leadership Retreat. The new Omni Hotel at the Battery in Atlanta, where I’ll be speaking to the clinical leadership from WellStar Health Systems, is absolutely incredible! The first two pics were taken from the hallway window right outside my room, as I was leaving for dinner. Really looking forward to possibly going to a game here tomorrow evening!
This past week, marked my first trip since being broadsided by a Mack truck that ran a red light on February 22nd. It felt absolutely amazing to get back to doing the work I am truly passionate about with the Emily Jerry Foundation…trying to help stop tragedies before they happen and ultimately saving lives from preventable medical error!
I had the privilege of being invited to D’Youville College in Buffalo, New York, to give a lecture on patient and medication safety to our future leaders in healthcare. I was also asked to participate in a panel discussion on preventable medical error, following a viewing of a powerful new documentary, called “To Err Is Human”, that was produced and directed by my friend Mike Eisenberg.
To top everything off, I also met, and had a great in-depth conversation, with New York Times, best selling author, Andre Dubus III, who also happened to be at D’Youville College for a lecture and book signing! Bottom line, I’m feeling extremely grateful!
Wrapped up another very productive Annual PSMF World Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit, with another Keynote from former President Bill Clinton! The event continues to grow and build great momentum around the cause. I am incredibly excited to see where technology can help take us in regards to eliminating the human error component of medicine. The quest pushes onward!
Yesterday, I received word from the producer that the interview I did with Dr. Mehmet Oz back in November, where we discussed preventable medical error, patient & medication safety, forgiveness, etc., is scheduled to air on January 22nd. It was such a great honor to meet Dr. Oz, let alone make an appearance on the show in order to spread the word about our very important cause. From time to time, these scheduled air dates can change. If I hear anything differently I will definitely try and let everyone know. ~Chris
Yesterday, I participated in a very important educational webcast that was hosted by a great organization called freeCE, which is a subsidiary of Pharmcon. The title of the CE was “A Fatal Medication Error: The Legacy of Emily Jerry.” The day before, on Tuesday, I was told that there were approximately 1,000 pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who were preregistered and would be attending this event.
During the presentation, the following short video clip from the Discovery Channel patient safety documentary where the pharmacist involved in Emily’s death and I were brought together for the first time in 2011, titled “Surfing the Healthcare Tsunami” was shown. Almost immediately afterwards, I began receiving extremely kind and very humbling email correspondence and IMs from many of the participants on the webcast.
I just truly want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart for ALL of the support and encouragement that so many of you have provided over the years, many of whom, like those on the webcast yesterday, that I have never even had the privilege of meeting! It’s this type of empathy and compassion that I have received from others that has continually reenergized me during times of doubt and inspired me to forge ahead with this very unconventional career that I have always truly felt in my heart that I have been called to do! The following is one of the emails I received during the CE…
Dear Chris,
As a pharmacist I just viewed the CE program about the tragedy regarding your daughter Emily. Let me start out by saying how truly sorry I am for your loss. I can’t imagine the pain you have endured. Your forgiveness and understanding surrounding this issue has inspired me. What an outstanding human being you are for forgiving. Your humanity is truly admirable. Thank you for continuing Emily’s legacy by trying to help the situation and turning your tragedy into something positive. People like you help others retain faith in mankind. Continued success to you in all endeavors.
Sincerely, Richard R. RPh
I had the great honor of being invited to speak for the first time at Campbell University College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences in North Carolina on September 11th. I gave two 1.5 hour presentations on patient & medication safety to the students and faculty that were very well received. Over the years, even though most of my lectures and presentations for the Emily Jerry Foundation have typically been at the hospitals across the nation, it has always been a top priority, whenever given the opportunity, to speak to our future healthcare leaders, the students.
I think everyone would understand when I say that, from time to time, I occasionally have doubts and sometimes question whether or not my very unconventional career path and the Emily Jerry Foundation are really making a difference in patient and medication safety overall. Whenever I am having these moments of doubt, it seems that I always get a very kind and gentle reminder from someone, like the one I received yesterday from Kaitlyn, reminding me that it really is making a difference and I must persevere…for that I am so grateful and feel extremely blessed.
“Congrats on your foundation anniversary, though I am sorry there is a reason for your foundation. I was a pharmacy student in Ohio when Emily’s medication error occurred. From the moment I first heard her story, it’s had an impact on my life. I’ve heard your story several times, the most recently at ASHP and it never fails to bring tears to my eyes, especially now that I have two little girls of my own. THANK YOU for taking up this fight and your dedication to this important cause. As part of my job I work with compounding policy and procedures and I think of your family often. You are truly making a difference in the world, and I hope that with continued effort a system can be shaped and maintained where there don’t have to be stories like Emily’s.” ~Kaitlyn B.
The Emily Jerry Foundation is determined to help make our nation’s, world renowned, medical facilities safer for everyone, beginning with our babies and children. We are accomplishing this very important objective by focusing on increasing public awareness of key patient safety related issues and identifying technology and best practices that are proven to minimize the “human error” component of medicine. Through our ongoing efforts The Emily Jerry Foundation is working hard to save lives every day.
Last Updated: November 6, 2019 by Nick Pietravoia
EJF Gives 5 Continuing Education Presentations at Texas Children’s Hospital
This past week was very productive for the Emily Jerry Foundation! I was given the great privilege of being invited to Texas Children’s Hospital to give five CE & CME accredited presentations. All five talks were related to patient & medication safety, preventable medical error, and stopping tragedies BEFORE they happen, by focusing on the “inherent human error component of medicine,” and the modification of core systems, processes, and protocols in healthcare. I was extremely impressed with both the frontline clinician/caregiver team, as well as, the executive leadership at TCH, who all appeared to be clearly focused on putting patient safety first at their world renowned facility! Bottom line, Texas Children’s Hospital is truly an amazing place, providing exceptional care to what I feel is our nation’s most valuable asset, our babies and children! ?