Bothwell CEO participates on MHA conference panel
Bothwell Regional Health Center’s CEO Lori Wightman participated on a patient safety panel at Missouri Hospital Association’s (MHA) 102nd annual convention held in Kansas City in November.
Wightman was joined on the panel with Greg Teale, Pharmacy Services director at Saint Luke’s Division of BJC Health Care; Beth Alpers, Chief Human Resources Officer at MU Health Care; and Dr. Diane Light, Chief Medical Officer at Healthcare Services Group.
The panel was moderated by Jackie Gatz, Quality, Safety and Research senior vice president at MHA and was in reaction to keynote speaker RaDonda Vaught’s session, “When Seconds Change Lives: Patient Safety and System Breakdown.”
Vaught is a former nurse at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. While working as a BSN-prepared registered nurse, Vaught committed a medication error that ended the life of a patient in 2017.
She was charged under administrative law by the Tennessee Department of Health, leading to the revocation of her nursing license by the Tennessee Board of Nursing in a July 2021 hearing. In 2019, she was charged under criminal law, and in March 2022 she was found guilty by jury trial of two felony charges, negligent homicide and abuse of an impaired adult.
Panelists focused on understanding the technicalities of the medication process, what role electronic health records or medication dispensing systems play in preventing or contributing to medication errors and what is essential in orientation and ongoing professional development to ensure the health care workforce is prepared for high-stress, high-risk situations.
Wightman said the panel’s opportunity to react in real time to Vaught’s compelling story was sobering and an important way to discuss how health care leaders can cultivate a culture of safety in their hospitals.
“RaDonda’s case was monitored closely by nurses and medical professionals across the nation,” she said. “It sent shockwaves throughout the nursing profession when she was convicted, and many conversations happened around medication errors. Risks are everywhere in health care, and as leaders, it’s our responsibility to foster a culture that prioritizes safety and transparency while ensuring our people are trained, can communicate well and can adapt to an ever-changing landscape. I appreciated the chance to serve on the panel with colleagues and lend my perspective.”
MHA advocates for policies that improve health and health care in the state and provides data, decision-support tools and operational resources to help hospitals and health systems deliver care. Its 2024 convention theme was Connections: Forging the Frontier of Health. Providers and health care professionals across the state gather each year to understand industry changes, threats and opportunities for innovation and change. Attendees receive industry insights, health care specific hot topics and networking opportunities.