How accountable are we when it comes to injuries caused by medical errors?

Since this archive episode aired, patient safety remains a serious issue, with thousands of Americans dying from errors in their care. Although interest in improving patient safety has sadly waned, many are working to revive it and increase attention to the problem.

In this interview, Sue Sheridan, founder and a global leader of Patients for Patient Safety US, shares how, ever since going through family tragedies caused by medical error twice, she’s actively worked to improve and ensure patient safety across the United States. As a newborn, Sue’s son’s unattended Kernicterus caused permanent brain damage, and some years later, her husband died because of a late-stage sarcoma diagnosis that had been previously detected; after these events, she decided to make a change and share her family’s story across health care. However, patient safety has been deprioritized as there are still gaps in the system regarding data collection that can catch mistakes. With Patients for Patient Safety, Sue seeks to democratize patient safety by highlighting transparency, illustrating the magnitude of the problem, and using input from the patient community when coming up with changes or solutions.

Tune in to learn more about the importance of patient safety!

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