Patient Safety Awareness Week Highlights Thought Leaders in Health and Care
03 Mar 2026
Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW), observed March 8–14, 2026, will bring national focus to the ongoing effort to improve healthcare safety and reduce preventable harm in medical settings across the United States and globally. This year’s theme, “Team Up for Patient Safety,” emphasizes collaborative involvement among care teams, patients, and families to strengthen healthcare delivery and outcomes. During this dedicated week, several influential voices—including expert APB speakers with deep experience in patient advocacy, public health, and clinical leadership—will help elevate the conversation around safety, equity, and quality in healthcare.
Reverend Regina Holliday: Art, Advocacy, and the Patient Experience
Patient rights activist, artist, and speaker Reverend Regina Holliday brings a powerful patient-centered perspective to this year’s observance. Known for her Walking Gallery movement and colorful murals that spotlight healthcare challenges, Holliday’s advocacy grew out of the experience of navigating her husband’s illness, where gaps in medical communication and data access profoundly impacted care. Holliday’s voice represents the critical role of patients and families in shaping safer care practices.
Jerome Adams, MD: Public Health Leadership and Safety Culture
Former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams is among the leading public health voices discussing safety culture in healthcare. As the nation’s former top public health official and current executive director of health equity initiatives at Purdue University, Adams brings insights on population health, preventative strategies, and the systemic improvements needed to minimize harm and advance safety. Adams spotlights how leadership, risk reduction strategies, and patient partnership are essential elements of a resilient safety culture in healthcare organizations.
Esther Choo, MD: Equity, Communication, and Safety Systems
Healthcare expert and communicator Dr. Esther Choo continues to shape discussions on how healthcare systems can become safer and more inclusive. A physician and prominent advocate for gender and racial equity in medicine, Choo is recognized for championing frameworks that foster respectful, productive clinical environments — foundational components of patient safety. Choo’s perspective reinforces that safety advances are intertwined with equity and culture change across healthcare settings.
Richard Carmona, MD: Systems-Level Safety and Public Health
Former U.S. Surgeon General, physician, public health leader, and advocate for high-performance systems, Dr. Richard Carmona brings a focus on evidence-based strategies, community health initiatives, and clinician leadership development to improve outcomes and safety. Known for his emphasis on holistic approaches to public health and quality care, Carmona’s voice reinforces that safety is not just a clinical metric but a community expectation.
Patient Safety Awareness Week serves as a reminder that while progress has been made in reducing harm in healthcare, there remains substantial opportunity to strengthen systems, improve communication, and engage patients and clinicians as partners in care.
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