Patient Safety Culture:  An Organizational Approach to Reducing the Risk of Medical Errors in Practice LEAP CE Webinar

Mark Wagner, UGA Safety Compliance Officer 

Mark Wagner graduated from the Environmental Health Science program at the University of Georgia and began a career in industrial health and safety.  A passion for learning inspired him to return to school at Savannah State University where he obtained his Master of Science in Marine Sciences.  Upon completion of this program he followed a new path working as an aquarist at a public aquarium.  Several years later, he came full circle and returned to his beloved town of Athens, GA where this story began.  After returning, he was honored to become the Safety and Compliance Officer for the University of Georgia Veterinary Teaching Hospital, where he could combine his diverse backgrounds in both safety and caring for large animals.  

During his time as an aquarist, he assisted veterinary staff with several medical procedures such as sedating a seal or rendering emergency care to an awake sand tiger shark.  This work gave him unique insight into the challenges met when caring for unpredictable animals with the potential to do significant harm.  As a safety professional, he understands that there are always improvements that can be made to facilities, equipment, policies, and training that will reduce the potential for individuals to face harm during their work.  This means striking the delicate balance between doing a job safely and the extraordinary efforts that veterinary staff go through every day to care for our companions.  He has a passion for expanding the knowledge of risks that are faced in veterinary practice and connecting people with the tools that can help mitigate that risk. 

Laura Smallwood, DVM, DACVIM (SAIM)

Dr. Laura Smallwood’s veterinary experience includes 36 years in the practice of veterinary medicine, the majority of that as a small animal internal medicine specialist, medical director, and practice owner. As a practice owner she recognized that workplace culture and organizational factors contributed to medical errors. To address this, she developed an online reporting system that offered a simple way to report medical errors and near misses, and a process for follow-up that included investigation of contributing factors embedded in protocols, systems, and workplace organization.   

Dr. Smallwood retired from clinical practice in 2020 and current works as a certified Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction teacher.  She has lectured and taught workshops on mindfulness for the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association, the Alabama Veterinary Medical Association, the American College of Veterinary Internal Medicine, Thrive Veterinary Health, Royal Canin, and Emerald Coast Veterinary Conference, and she is a regular guest on the Cairn Veterinary Podcast.  She is the owner of Atlanta Mindfulness  and on faculty at East Coast Mindfulness .  She currently serves as the chair of the Georgia Veterinary Medical Association Wellness Committee and as the veterinary representative to the Georgia Professional Health Program board.