DECEMBER 11, 2024

From the Executive Director

The Betsy Lehman Center has had another busy year, with the Roadmap to Health Care Safety for Massachusetts guiding what we do every day. We are grateful to work alongside members of our advisory committees, our state agency colleagues, and many others who are transforming this strategic plan into actions that will improve patient outcomes and support the health care workforce.

We are encouraged that safety, a truly non-partisan issue, has gained prominence on the national health policy agenda. And we are pleased that the groundbreaking work we are doing in Massachusetts through a unique collaboration of 35+ organizations representing patients, providers, payers, and policymakers has already influenced the national direction and will continue to do so. 



In closing, I want to take a moment to acknowledge Betsy Lehman’s death from a medical error 30 years ago this month. Betsy was an exceptionally talented journalist and a wonderful friend and loved one to so many. This milestone is a reminder that while we have good reason to celebrate three decades of progress on health care safety, thousands of Massachusetts patients and families continue to be impacted by preventable harm each year. Together, we can and will do better.  

Happy holidays and best wishes for 2025!

Barbara Fain

FIVE TOP STORIES FROM 2024

Q&A: Dr. David Stockwell on how real-time monitoring of electronic health records can transform safety

Early adopter hospitals have achieved unprecedented gains in safety through automated monitoring of their electronic health records to detect preventable patient harm events in near real time. In partnership with Pascal Metrics, Inc., the Betsy Lehman Center is leading a pilot of automated adverse event monitoring in a diverse set of Massachusetts hospitals. David Stockwell, M.D., M.P.H., Pascal Metrics Chief Clinical Officer, talks with Patient Safety Beat about this game-changing approach to safety improvement.

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New CMS rule incentivizes safety practices and strategies

A new Patient Safety Structural Measure from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services calls on most acute care hospitals to attest to their use of 25 practices that support improvements in patient safety. Hospitals will begin reporting in October 2025, with payment reduced in FY 2027 for non-attesting hospitals. In addition, attestation results will be publicly reported. The measure aligns with other national initiatives and the Massachusetts Roadmap to Health Care Safety.

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The state’s first Assistant Commissioner for Health Equity lays out actions for improving maternal health

As the inaugural Assistant Commissioner of Health Equity at the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Hafsatou Fifi Diop, M.D., M.P.H., works to improve maternal health and reduce racial disparities in health care. Dr. Diop talks with Patient Safety Beat about actions the state is taking related to maternal health services, effective use of data and the importance of collaborating with community members and other stakeholders.

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Communication, resolution and apology programs gain momentum

CMS’s new patient safety measure endorses a structured approach to supporting patients who have experienced medical harm and maximizing learnings from each event. To do this work, the Betsy Lehman Center offers hospitals and practices in Massachusetts a no-cost model called Communication, Apology and Resolution or CARe. More than a dozen provider organizations in the state are using the tested implementation framework, extensive resources, coaching and collaborative discussion sessions organized by the Center.

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New nurses and physicians face challenges transitioning from education to practice

Today’s new nurses and physicians are entering practice at a particularly volatile time. Staff shortages, increased productivity pressure, and the safety and personal cost of long work hours continue to add stress for all health care workers. Provider organizations are adapting with new strategies, including residency programs for nurses, flexible schedules and the inclusion of clinicians in planning what day-to-day work looks like.



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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