“Protecting Yourself as a Patient”: JHF to Host New Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Course at CMU

Medical harm is a silent epidemic, affecting millions of patients each year. From medication errors to misdiagnoses, the risks in health care are real—and many are preventable—yet, for the most part, the public remains in the dark about how to be better prepared. A new course, Protecting Yourself as a Patient, has been curated by JHF staff and designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and tools to actively safeguard their health.

Offered exclusively through the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) via Zoom, the six-session course will run May 7 to June 11 from 3:15 – 4:45pm, providing practical strategies to avoid the five most common types of medical harm: medication errors, patient care accidents, procedural and surgical complications, infections, and diagnostic errors.

Eric Rodriguez, MD, MPH, of the UPMC Benedum Geriatric Center and University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, will serve as the course’s study leader. Dr. Rodriguez will introduce learners to each topic and elicit meaningful discussions among the learners and experts in patient safety, advocacy, medicine, and technology. The guest speakers will provide insights on how patients can take charge of their care, ask the right questions, and use emerging tools like patient portals and artificial intelligence to stay informed.

Speakers for the course include: David Bates, MD, Harvard Medical School; Martin Hatlie, JD, Patients for Patient Safety US; Hardeep Singh, MD, MPH, VA Medical Center; Patient Advocate Peggy Zuckerman,; Pat Kroboth, BS, MS, PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy; David Classen, MD, MS, Pascal Metrics; Paul Tang, MD, MS, Stanford University; Rick Shannon, MD, Duke Health; Sanjay Prasad, MD. SurgiQuality; Karen Curtiss, The Care Partner Project; Josh Rubin, MD, Retired Surgeon; and Leilani Schweitzer, Patients for Patient Safety US.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at CMU is a nonprofit, membership-based organization for adults aged 50 and older; more information can be found on their website, cmu.edu/osher. The course catalog has been published here, and registration will open soon.