The Government of British Columbia has appointed Dr. Devin Harris as the new chair of the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council (BCPSQC).

Effective Oct. 1, 2019, Harris is assuming the role from Dr. Doug Cochrane, who has served as chair since the BCPSQC was formed in 2008.

“Dr. Harris is the perfect person to serve as the second-ever, board chair of the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “His combination of hands-on clinical experience and history leading teams to improve health-care quality will ensure a smooth transition as he takes the helm of an important organization dedicated to patient safety and quality throughout B.C.”

Harris has served as a member of the BCPSQC since September 2018. He was also the organization’s clinical lead for stroke care from 2011 to 2017. During this time, he led a provincewide collaborative to improve care in emergency departments. He was instrumental in the development of Stroke Services BC and was part of a leadership team who improved stroke outcomes throughout the province. He is currently the executive medical director of quality and patient safety at Interior Health, a medical advisor for Stroke Services BC and a clinical professor with the University of British Columbia’s faculty of medicine.

“This is also a historic time for the BC Patient Safety & Quality Council as it says farewell to its founding board chair, Dr. Doug Cochrane,” said Dix. “Thanks to his vision and passion for continuous improvement in health-care safety, Dr. Cochrane fostered a culture in B.C. that inspired health-care stakeholders to enhance patient safety in every corner of the province. We all owe him a debt of gratitude.”

Cochrane will continue in his role as board chair of Interior Health.

The BCPSQC works to improve the quality of health care in British Columbia and collaborates with partners in the health-care system to promote and inform a provincially co-ordinated, person-centred approach to health care.

The council consists of a chair and eight members and is supported by staff located throughout the province. The chair, through the BCPSQC’s chief executive officer, is responsible for providing advice and making recommendations to the Minister of Health.

Quick Facts:

• The BCPSQC receives its mandate from the Minister of Health to:
  • bring system-wide leadership and co-ordination in advancing a culture of quality within the province;
  • facilitate the building of capability and expertise for patient safety and quality in the B.C. health system;
  • support health authorities and other health-sector stakeholders in their continuing efforts to improve quality;
  • improve health-system transparency and accountability to patients and the public for the safety and quality of care provided in B.C.; and
  • identify and promote local, regional and provincial opportunities for engaging the patient perspective in health-care transformation.

Learn More:

To learn more about the BC Patient & Safety Quality Council, visit: www.bcpsqc.ca

A backgrounder follows.