NZIMS Project Launch

The exciting and educational launch of the New Zealand Incident Management System took place in Wellington on Monday 23 June. Dr James Bagian, keynote guest speaker and director of the National Center for Patient Safety, Department of Veterans Affairs, USA, provided the audience with an informative and entertaining account of his experiences establishing and leading one of the world’s most successful patient safety programmes.

The Hon. David Cunliffe, Minister of Health and Mr Stephen McKernan, Director General of Health confirmed the government’s commitment to reducing and preventing adverse healthcare events and enhancing patient care. Other speakers included Mr Pat Snedden, Chair Quality Improvement Committee; Ms Maureen Robinson, Communio Director, NZIMS Project Director and Faculty Member; Dr Anne Kolbe, Communio Consultant and NZIMS Faculty Member and Mr Jerry Rickman, Chair Waikato District Health Board.

(L-R) Mr Pat Snedden, Hon David Cunliffee, Dr James Bagian	Ms Maureen Robinson and Mr Stephen McKernan
The Hon. David Cunliffe confirms the government’s commitment to improving patient safety and quality of care	Dr James Bagian entertains the audience
Members of the audience at the project launch

Dr. James Bagian, director of the National Center for Patient Safety of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), USA and "Service to America" medal winner, was in New Zealand to promote the national Incident Management System. Dr Bagian – an engineer and surgeon who completed two NASA space shuttle missions and was an investigator for both the Challenger and Columbia space shuttle accidents - has led the innovative patient safety programme since its inception in 1999. The programme, now in place in all 162 VA hospitals across America serving more than 4.5 million veterans - a population larger than New Zealand’s, focuses on prevention not punishment. Applying human factor analysis and safety research of high reliability organisations such as aviation and nuclear power, the programme is targeted at identifying and eliminating system vulnerabilities in order to prevent patient harm.