Joint Commission appoints its first patient safety officer

The Joint Commission has appointed Dr Ronald Wyatt to the newly created position of patient safety officer. The organization said the move reflects its commitment to promoting a safe and high-quality healthcare system with a goal of zero patient harm. 

Dr Wyatt will continue to serve as The Joint Commission’s medical director in the Division of Healthcare Improvement, a position he has held since joining the organization in 2012. In his added role, he will focus on healthcare quality and patient safety at both the organizational level — including patients, practitioners, staff and leadership — and the healthcare system level.

In addition, he will promote quality improvement and patient safety to internal and external stakeholders, and expand The Joint Commission’s role as an influencer in public policy and legislation.

“Patient safety is a core value at The Joint Commission and central to our goal of zero patient harm,” said Dr Ana Pujols-McKee, executive vice president and chief medical officer, The Joint Commission. “The creation of this new position and the appointment of a recognized patient safety expert like Dr Wyatt exemplifies our commitment and ensures we will continue to make great progress in the areas of quality and patient safety.”

During his time at The Joint Commission, Dr Wyatt has led several important patient-safety initiatives. He was instrumental in renaming the former Office of Quality Monitoring to the Office of Quality and Patient Safety to better reflect the primary focus on patient safety. He has collaborated in the development of National Patient Safety Goals, Sentinel Event Alerts, and Quick Safety publications, and oversees data management and analyses in his division. He has a particular interest in disparity, equity and professionalism in healthcare.

“I am deeply honored to be named The Joint Commission’s first patient safety officer,” Dr Wyatt said. “This is an outward sign of our steadfast commitment to the goal of zero harm for all patients, and I look forward to working side-by-side with our accredited organizations to make that goal a reality.”