2025 Patient Safety, Quality, and Equity Symposium Register Now

Registration
 

Welcome and Introduction
Robert G. Shipp III, PhD, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, Vice President, Workforce & Clinical Affairs, The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania
 

Accreditation 360: The New Standards 
The Joint Commission (invited)
    
As the healthcare landscape evolves, so do the expectations for safety, quality, and accountability. During this session, we will take a comprehensive look at the latest updates to accreditation standards. Attendees will explore key changes impacting compliance, survey readiness, and quality improvement efforts across healthcare settings. The session will highlight practical strategies for integrating new requirements into daily operations, fostering a culture of continuous readiness, and aligning with high-reliability and patient safety goals. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how to navigate the new standards, prepare for successful surveys, and lead sustainable, organization-wide improvement.
 

Vaccines, Misinformation, and the Lifespan: Protecting Patients from Infancy to Older Age
Lori Handy, MD, MSCE, Associate Director, Vaccine Education Center, Associate Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine, Attending Physician, Division of Infectious Diseases, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Vaccines remain one of the most powerful tools in patient safety, yet misinformation continues to challenge public trust and clinical practice. In this session, Dr. Lori Handy will explore how immunization strategies evolve across the lifespan and how disinformation threatens both individual and community health. Attendees will gain practical insights into current vaccine recommendations, common safety concerns, and the growing impact of vaccine hesitancy. The session will also highlight communication strategies for addressing misinformation and reinforcing evidence-based decision-making in clinical care.
 

Networking Break
 

Educational Session
 

Educational Session
 

Preventing Violence in Healthcare: Protecting Providers, Patients and Facilities
Eric Sean Clay, MBA, CPP, PSP, PCI, CHPA

Violence against healthcare providers and patients is rising at an alarming rate, especially within hospital settings. This session, led by security expert Eric Sean Clay, MBA, CPP, PSP, PCI, CHPA, will address real-world threats in Pennsylvania hospitals and provide a strategic framework for early intervention and high-level security planning. Attendees will explore how to recognize early behavioral indicators of violence, implement proactive threat management protocols, and apply enterprise-level security solutions that align with the unique demands of healthcare environments.
 

Networking Reception
 

Dinner (On Your Own)
 

Breakfast, Networking, and Sponsor Exhibits
 

Turbocharging Quality 2026: The Critical Role of Artificial Intelligence
Steve Berkowitz, MD, Founder and President, SMB Consulting

Despite the fact that most hospitals have achieved many of the quality measures, there is considerable concern that overall quality/ life expectancy has not improved.  This presentation discusses the four phases of quality improvement and how AI serves to be the true catalyst to drive quality improvement to the next level.  Dr. Berkowitz will discuss specific applications of AI and how best to strategically utilize this technology to lead to better outcomes and community health.
 

Educational Session
 

Networking Break and Move to Breakout Sessions
 

Breakout Sessions
Topics Include:

• Patient and Family Centered Care
• Culture, Leadership, and Governance
   

Networking Break and Move to Breakout Sessions
 

Breakout Sessions
Topics Include:

• Workforce and Well-being
• Quality Improvement and Harm Prevention
   

Networking Break and Move to Breakout Sessions
 

Breakout Sessions
Topics Include:

• Improving/Innovating Care Models and Delivery
• Workforce Solutions
   

Group Luncheon, Excellence in Patient Safety Recognition, and Closing Speaker
 

Adjourn