Energized at Work: Episode 17 with Patient Safety Researcher Dr. Hardeep Singh

Success in Medicine

Dr. Hardeep Singh is Co-Chief of the Health Policy, Quality, and Informatics Program at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and Baylor College of Medicine.

--He is a patient safety researcher and Professor of Medicine, and is committed to researching and developing resources to promote patient safety and diagnostic excellence in clinical practice.

--His research on how to improve missed or delayed diagnoses has impacted many, and his research on how to improve the use of electronic health records (EHRs) has been used as the basis for policy changes by the Center for Medicare Services (CMS). He has also worked with the World Health Organization on patient safety issues.
--One of the things that struck me during our conversation was how his career has been so mission-driven, starting with his observation of missed diagnoses during his years of practice as an internist in rural East Texas. Those experiences inspired him to seek out a research career, and later helped guide his efforts to impact policy.
--At the same time, although he is very mission-driven, he describes how important perseverance and discipline have been throughout his career.
--For anyone struggling to make an impact in an area about which they are passionate, his career path is inspiring. In this episode, he shares the story of how he transitioned from clinical practice to a research career. Although he has a storied career now, his early failures are an important part of his story.

--As he explains, it took him several years and 12 failed grant applications before he was finally able to move into his career as a researcher.

--When I asked him what kept him going, he described his passion for the area of patient safety, but he also emphasized the importance of perseverance and the discipline to keep submitting grant applications.

--He is also deeply committed to translating research findings into policy change, and he talks about the associated challenges.

--He describes several ways in which his groups' research findings have been used to guide policy and practice.

--He and his colleagues developed a checklist for health systems on how to implement and use EHRs more effectively. In 2021, this work was adopted by the CMS as a quality measure to assess implementation of the EHR.

--For students or physicians who are seeking to impact the systemic forces shaping medical care, this is an inspiring episode.