The Betsy Lehman Center

Summary

The Betsy Lehman Center is a Massachusetts state agency that supports providers, patients and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of health care.

Content

Betsy Lehman, a reporter and mother of two young girls, was battling breast cancer. While in the hospital, her care team made a series of fatal mistakes, giving her four times the intended dose of a powerful chemotherapy drug. Her death at age 39 in 1994 catalysed a national movement to improve patient safety.

While progress has been made, surveys show that between 20-25% of Massachusetts residents have experienced a medical error. In honour of Betsy and every patient, the Betsy Lehman Center are advancing strategies to improve the safety of health care in the Commonwealth and beyond.