Canadian Patient Safety Institute announces new CEO
Hugh MacLeod joins group working towards safer healthcare system
Friday March 5, 2010 -- Natalie Hamilton
There's a new person at the helm of a national organization striving to build a safer healthcare system in Canada.

Hugh MacLeod is the new CEO of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI). CPSI officially made the announcement March 1. MacLeod has a background in change management and strategic planning and has senior leadership experience in both government and healthcare.

MacLeod "is committed to building a safer healthcare system in Canada," CPSI says.

"Continuity and consistency with high-calibre leadership are vital to the next steps in patient safety in Canada," says Dr. Doug Cochrane, chair of CPSI's board of directors, in a news release.

"The board of directors is very pleased with the appointment of MacLeod as CEO of CPSI."

MacLeod's main role will be leading the patient safety agenda in Canada.

"In my (CPSI) role I will get to witness and hear about brilliance," MacLeod says.

"I will also get to hear about and see pockets of patient safety excellence in leadership delivered through passionate care providers who truly want to make a difference."

MacLeod's former positions include serving as an assistant deputy health minister of Health System Accountability and Performance and executive lead of the Premier's Health Results Team for the province of Ontario. He was also the interim president and CEO and senior vice-president of Vancouver Coastal Health and the vice-president of South Fraser Health Region. MacLeod is based out of CPSI's Edmonton office.

One of CPSI's objectives is to prevent the occurrence of adverse events in healthcare.

"We know that adverse events affect thousands of patients every year in Canada," Cochrane says.

"That is why it is important to have a leader such as MacLeod who can ensure the role CPSI has on healthcare continues to reduce preventable adverse events from happening and continue to build the safest healthcare system in the world."

- More to come

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