Did you know patient harm is the third leading cause of death? Dr. Julie Siemers, a trauma flight nurse turned patient safety expert, reveals the "broken systems" within hospitals that lead to preventable harm and how better design can save lives.

With four decades of experience, Dr. Julie shares critical insights from her intense career, from helicopter flight nurse to ICU. She unpacks how communication breakdowns and system flaws, not "bad people," are the root cause of errors. Discover revolutionary ideas for leveraging technology, like voice-activated charting and AI-driven alerts, to create safer, more resilient healthcare systems. Learn essential questions patients and families can ask to become active participants in their care and protect loved ones during hospital stays.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

· Dr. Julie's journey: from trauma nurse to dedicated patient safety expert.

· What "broken systems" in hospitals look like and real-world examples of harm.

· Lessons from flight nursing: the importance of clear protocols in high-stakes environments.

· Tech solutions for hidden risks: voice-activated charting, AI for early detection, and more.

· The most critical skill for new nurses: clinical judgment as a "Sherlock Holmes" approach.

· Simple, powerful questions patients and families can ask to improve safety (e.g., "What medication?").

· The biggest cultural barrier to lasting safety improvements: lack of transparency.

· Why "alert fatigue" is a major patient safety problem ripe for technological solutions.

This is a vital conversation for anyone in healthcare, engineering, or anyone who wants to ensure their loved ones receive the safest care possible.

Connect With Dr. Julie Siemers:

· Website: https://drjuliesiemers.com/

· Book: Surviving Your Hospital Stay (available on website & Amazon)

· YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@drjuliesiemers/featured

· Free Resource: Patient Safety Checklist https://drjuliesiemers.com/patient-safety-checklist

Chapters:

00:00 Welcome Dr. Julie Siemers: Patient Safety & Fixing Broken Systems

00:58 Journey to Patient Safety: From Bedside to Educator

02:32 Broken Systems in Hospitals: Communication & Lost Reports

05:56 Flight Nursing: Protocols & High-Stakes Decision Making

08:34 Tech Gaps: Voice-Activated Charting & AI for Risk Prevention

11:02 Critical Skill for New Nurses: Clinical Judgment & Sherlock Holmes

14:52 Effective Human-to-Human API: Patients, Families, & Healthcare Teams

17:09 Simple Questions to Improve Patient Safety (e.g., "What Medication?")

19:22 Cultural Barriers to Safety: Lack of Transparency & Alert Fatigue

22:00 Tech Solutions for Alert Fatigue

24:03 Evolution of Risk & Error Prevention in Healthcare

27:56 HospitalSafetyGrade.org: How to Choose a Safe Hospital

28:27 Hope for the Future: Compassionate Human Care & Resilience

30:20 Innovation Defined: Expanding Impact & Empowering Patients

33:05 Connect with Dr. Julie Siemers & Resources