August 7, 2025

Remembering Lucian Leape: Reflections from his colleagues and friends

Lucian Leape, M.D., who passed away earlier this summer at the age of 94, “made the world a better place,” according to Barbara Fain, Executive Director of the Betsy Lehman Center. “He was a steadfast supporter…the Center would not be what it is today without his wisdom, collegiality and generosity.”

In addition to tributes from many of his colleagues and friends, we offer excerpts from an interview with Dr. Leape, taped in 2014.

Read the tributes and see the video

Connect your staff members and patients with support from someone who “gets it”

In a renewed effort to connect health care professionals and patients across the state with the Betsy Lehman Center’s peer support offerings, the Center has developed a suite of new campaign materials to promote the two support networks.

Read the story

Betsy Lehman Center programs featured in webinars about new CMS safety metrics

Two programs offered by the Betsy Lehman Center can help hospitals achieve key elements of CMS’s new Patient Safety Structural Measure. Two of those programs are featured in recorded webinars from the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association: Patient and Family Advisory Councils and the Center’s Communication, Apology and Resolution (CARe) framework. A third MHA webinar provides an introduction to the PSSM.

Read the story

Upcoming events

Aug 13

11 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Leading with transparency: Communication and resolution programs that build trust and meet CMS requirements. Leaders from Northeast Georgia Health System join Press Ganey Chief Safety and Transformation Officer Tejal Gandhi to discuss communication and resolution following patient safety events, one of the elements in the new PSSM from CMS. Register here

*New date!

Aug 20

1 p.m.

The power and pain of words: How language matters in responding to patients after harm. A webinar with Evan Benjamin and Carole Hemmelgarn hosted by the Collaborative for Accountability and Improvement. Register here

Sep 18

11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Strengthening partnerships with patients and families to assess and improve the experience of care. A virtual research meeting from AHRQ’s Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CAHPS®). Register here

Oct 1

12 - 1 p.m.

Harnessing compassion to sustain patients and care teams. Save the date for this virtual presentation and discussion with Michael Gustafson, CEO, The Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, hosted by the Betsy Lehman Center’s peer support team. Register here

The Betsy Lehman Center is a Massachusetts state agency that supports providers, patients and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of health care.

BetsyLehmanCenterMA.gov