James P. Bagian, MD, PE
Former Director of VA
National Center for Patient Safety

Dr. James Bagian served as the first Director of the VA National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) and the first Chief Patient Safety Officer for the Department of Veterans Affairs from 1999 to 2010, where he developed numerous patient safety-related tools and programs that have been adopted nationally and internationally. He received the Pete Conrad Global Patient Safety Award for his global contribution to patient safety in many areas through his application of engineering principles to quality improvement. He is the Director of the Center for Healthcare Engineering and Patient Safety and is a Professor in the Medical School and the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan. Dr. Bagian served as a NASA astronaut and is a veteran of two Space Shuttle missions, including as the lead mission specialist for the first dedicated Life Sciences Spacelab mission.

Dr. Bagian’s primary interest and expertise are in the development and implementation of multidisciplinary programs and projects that involve the integration of engineering, medical/life sciences, and human factor disciplines. He applies the majority of his attention to the application of systems engineering approaches to the analysis of adverse medical events, and the development and implementation of suitable corrective actions that will enhance patient safety primarily through preventive means.

Dr. Bagian received his BS in mechanical engineering from Drexel University and his MD from Jefferson Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University. He was elected to both the National Academy of Engineering and the Institute of Medicine, and has served on or chaired numerous Nuclear Regulatory Commission and IOM committees.