In search of safety: an interview with Gina Pugliese. Interview by Alison P. Smith

Gina Pugliese, MS, RN, is currently a vice-president for Premier, Inc. In addition to faculty and editorial positions, she directs international training courses in hospital epidemiology. She has made innumerable contributions to the field of safety over the past 25 years through her work with regulatory and federal agencies. Changing organizational culture from a "blame culture" to a "safety culture" is one notable challenge facing organizations. The airline industry has achieved significant changes in its safety culture by virtually eliminating a power hierarchy in the cockpit, a worthy example for operating rooms. Redesigning care delivery processes will minimize the opportunity for error if efforts are made to avoid reliance on memory, automate repetitive functions, reduce the number of steps involved, or use protocols when appropriate. The sophistication of consumers and the emergence of organizations like the Leap Frog Group will continue to challenge health care providers and potentially accelerate safety improvements.