Patient Safety for Healthcare Clinicians: A Review of Closed Claims

Event Schedule by Time Zone: 
Pacific: 10 AM to 11 AM | Mountain: 11 AM to 12 PM | Central: 12 PM to 1 PM | Eastern: 1 PM to 2 PM

Healthcare errors rarely stem from a single mistake—they emerge from complex interactions among people, processes, technology, and the environments in which clinicians work. Understanding why errors occur is essential for preventing patient harm and strengthening a culture of safety across healthcare organizations.

This webinar introduces a practical “Taxonomy of Errors” framework, exploring four primary contributors to unsafe events: Human Factors, Systems Issues, Technology, and Job Design. Participants will examine how these categories influence real-world adverse events and how they relate to allegations of healthcare harm, including medication errors, missed treatments, and failures to recognize clinical deterioration.

Designed for professionals across all levels of experience this session emphasizes the critical role of clinicians and risk professionals in patient safety programs. Through case studies, discussion, and application of risk‑reduction tools, attendees will gain insight into the multifaceted causes of error and actionable strategies to mitigate them.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine the importance of clinician involvement in patient safety activities.
2. Analyze adverse events resulting from error categories such as human factors, systems, technology, and job design that can lead to healthcare harm.
3. Implement risk reduction strategies to decrease error occurrence and improve patient safety.

Speakers:

Wendy Alderman is currently a senior risk management consultant for ProAssurance. Prior to joining ProAssurance, Wendy helped manage the risk department for a large multi-specialty provider practice in Washington, DC. She oversaw organizational insurance, patient safety, and claims. Wendy’s clinical experience includes critical care, radiology, and post-anesthesia care. She enjoys advising physicians and clinical staff in risk reduction and patient safety strategies. She recently graduated with an MSN in healthcare quality and safety.

Prior to joining ProAssurance, Lesley Lopez Viner led the Travis County Medical Society’s legislative advocacy, public health, and practice management efforts as Director of Advocacy and Physician Services. As AVP of Risk Management at Texas Medical Liability Trust (TMLT), she oversaw the department's practice review, CME, and helpline services. Lesley is on the board of the Austin Child Guidance Center and is an Advocacy Ambassador Leader for Komen’s Center for Public Policy. She has a BA in Biology and an MS in Community Health, both from Texas A&M, and holds a certificate in leadership skills from UT Austin.

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