Through a unique offering of education and collaboration, the 3rd Annual Pacific Coast Patient Safety Conference (PCPSC) brought together a record number of healthcare professionals for its 2024 conference in San Diego, California. Hosted as a boutique conference experience, the PCPSC attracted a diverse audience, including physicians, nurses, and pharmacists, seeking quality programming, networking, and the opportunity to shape the trajectory of patient and medication safety across the continuum of patient care.

This year’s conference sessions were designed to balance historical standards and future predictions in healthcare, which brought record-breaking attendanceand pushed the conference to grow to new levels of participation. “We are proud of the continued momentum we have made over the past three years with the Pacific Coast Patient Safety Conference for a stronger patient-focused healthcare system,” said Dr. Loriann De Martini, who serves as California Society of Health-System Pharmacists Chief Executive Officer. Programming also included testimony from Sue Sheridan, a Founding Member of Patients for Patient Safety (PFPS) US, who delivered a heartbreaking and inspiring speech on her immediate family’s experience with two preventable patient errors, including one death,

through patient-safety related flaws in the healthcare system.

Left: Robert Imhoff speaks to attendees in one of the first sessions.

Dr. Emily Do, Mr. Robert Imhoff, Dr. Elizabeth Rebo addressed the nuanced challenges and opportunities associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and intelligent automation (IA) in healthcare through panels, roundtables, and speeches. These sessions revealed its potential benefits for healthcare workers while acknowledging the intricate complexities involved in integration. Case studies and IA projects were showcased to illustrate the practical applications of this technology, demonstrating the benefits and opportunities available in daily workflows.

Below: Dr. Loriann De Martini welcomes attendees on Thursday morning.


In addition to technological advancements, the conference highlighted the holistic aspects of patient care with sessions like “Dynamic Duo: Pharmacy-Nursing Partnership in the Crusade for Patient Safety.” The session reinforced the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and how organizations elevate patient safety by investing in collaborative practices. The collaboration focused on enhancing medication administration processes, increasing BCMA scanning compliance, reducing automated dispensing cabinet overrides, and optimizing smart pump library use. The session also discussed the journey towards aligning with national Standardize 4 Safety (S4S) continuous infusion concentration standards, and how that adaptation fits into the decision-making process, plan development, stakeholder communication, and implementation strategy.

Dr. Marc Fleming, a conference attendee and member of the planning committee, expressed the conference’s significance, stating, “Attending the conference provided a fantastic chance to engage with other healthcare professionals in the realm of patient safety, which is a space of healthcare that Chapman is particularly active in.” Dr. Fleming further highlighted the exposure to the latest advancements in AI and innovative technological solutions presented by vendors, expressing anticipation for next year’s meeting and the expansion of the poster session to foster additional ideas.

Left: Chapman faculty show continual support and commitment to patient safety.

As the 3rd Annual Pacific Coast Patient Safety Conference concluded, participants departed San Diego with enriched perspectives on the importance of collaborative efforts across healthcare units for comprehensive patient safety. Chapman University and CSHP anticipate the forthcoming 4th annual conference, already in the planning stages.

Below: Exhibitors discuss their growing technology that enhances patient safety.

Appreciation is extended to partners and sponsors, notably the California Association of Long-Term Care Medicine and title sponsor Fresenius Kabi, along with exhibitors and sponsors contributing to the conference’s success including Boehringer Ingelheim, BTG Pharmaceuticals, California Drug Take-Back Program, City of Hope, IltelliGaurd, Johnson and Johnson, Merck, Midas View, Nexus, Rx Relief, and Walgreens. We thank our planning committee members, Drs. Barbara Hulz, Daniel Kudryashov, Donna Leang, Janice Hoffman, Marc Fleming, Martin Torres, Wyndie Tse, and Robin Betts, as well as the core primary organizers in CSHP, Dr. Loriann De Martini, Janet Waldie, and Elizabeth Vang, Chapman University’s Dr. Reza Taheri and Luke O’Connell, and Dr. Kathy Ghomeshi.