The 6th Annual Pacific Coast Patient Safety Conference (PCPSC) gathered healthcare professionals, patient safety officers, pharmacists, and academic leaders on February 26–27, 2026, at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa in Monterey, California. Co-hosted by Chapman University School of Pharmacy and the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP), in collaboration with the California Association of Long-Term Care Medicine (CALTCM), the conference once again delivered a signature boutique experience to foster meaningful dialogue on preventable harm, medication safety, and the systems-level changes needed to protect patients across the continuum of care.

California Surgeon General’s Keynote, Rooted in Public Health and Equity

This year’s keynote address was delivered by Diana Ramos, M.D., California Surgeon General and the state’s leading spokesperson on pressing public health issues. Ramos brought a public health perspective to the conference, focusing on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), mental health, and maternal mortality and morbidity, all of which intersect directly with patient safety at every level of care. Her address emphasized that patient safety is not confined to hospital corridors, but is a community-wide imperative that begins long before a patient enters a clinical setting.

Building a Culture of High Reliability

One of the conference’s anchor sessions was delivered by Joseph C. Carmichael, M.D., alongside Martin J. Torres, Pharm.D., both of UC Irvine Health. Their session, “HRO Journey: Culture vs. Strategy — What’s the Reality,” challenged attendees to look beyond strategic planning frameworks and invest in the harder, more enduring work of genuine culture change. The speakers emphasized that true high reliability is achieved only when every hospital team member (regardless of role or title) considers themselves a patient safety advocate, applying universal skills in daily practice to create safer environments for both patients and staff.

Making the Business Case for Safety

Helen Macfie, Pharm.D., of MemorialCare Health System and the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, returned as a speaker to address the challenge of communicating its financial value, one of the most persistent barriers to patient safety progress. Her session, “Dollars and Sense — Making the Business Case,” equipped attendees with frameworks, driver diagrams, and practical case studies to build compelling internal arguments for safety investment. With healthcare resources increasingly stretched and competing priorities multiplying, Macfie argued that financial fluency is now an essential competency for quality and safety leaders.

Regulatory Insight from the California Board of Pharmacy

Anne Sodergren, Executive Officer of the California Board of Pharmacy, provided attendees with an important regulatory update in her session on the Board’s Sunset Review. Sodergren outlined the Board’s recent activities in fulfilling its statutory mandate, discussed business models creating new risks to patient safety, and encouraged healthcare professionals to engage with Board processes to help shape patient safety policy from the ground up.

ISMP Updates: Best Practices for 2026

Rita Jew, Pharm.D., President of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), delivered the conference’s closing session, sharing ISMP’s strategic direction for 2026 and its implications for patient safety across care settings. Jew highlighted new best practices from ISMP’s Targeted Medication Safety Best Practices for Hospitals, addressed the top medication error types reported through the California Medication Error Reporting Program (CAMER), and outlined strategies to prevent wrong-patient errors in community pharmacies.

Human Stories Behind the Data

In keeping with the conference’s tradition of centering the patient voice alongside clinical expertise, Christopher Jerry, President and CEO of the Emily Jerry Foundation, brought a deeply personal dimension to the proceedings and told his family’s story of losing their daughter after a medication error. As the opening speaker, he set the tone for the conference with a powerful reminder of why the work of patient safety is vitally important, and why every protocol, every policy, and every cultural shift has a human life at its center.

Recognizing our Supporters

The conference’s poster session continued to grow as a hub for peer-reviewed research and professional exchange. Both seasoned researchers and rising student pharmacists showcased their recent work spanning patient safety science, clinical pharmacology, and health systems innovation.

The success of PCPSC 2026 was made possible by the generous support of our industry partners. Special recognition is extended to Title Sponsor Fresenius Kabi, whose ready-to-administer sterile injectables optimize medication safety and efficiency in high-acuity clinical environments. Gratitude is also extended to exhibitors Blueprint Medicines (a Sanofi company), CMP Pharma, CPS, Medical Packaging, Micromedex, Novartis, Octapharma, Pacira Biosciences, SERB Pharmaceuticals, TSMP, Walgreens, and WG Critical Care.

Preparations for the 7th Annual Pacific Coast Patient Safety Conference are already underway. Healthcare professionals interested in joining the planning committee are encouraged to contact co-chairs Kathy Ghomeshi, Pharm.D., and Laressa Bethishou, Pharm.D., at bethishou@chapman.edu.