VETgirl podcast spotlights medical error reporting in vet med
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VETgirl has published a new continuing education podcast featuring Rochelle Low, DVM, MaS, MHL, global vice president of quality and patient safety for Mars Veterinary Health, focused on how medical error reporting can improve patient outcomes and workplace safety in veterinary settings. In the episode, Low defines a medical error as harm or potential harm caused by medical management or treatment rather than the patient’s underlying condition, and notes that errors are more likely during busy, complex parts of the day when multiple team members are juggling handoffs, discharges, procedures, and competing demands. The episode fits into a broader, growing conversation in the profession about moving away from blame-focused responses to adverse events and toward structured reporting, psychological safety, and system-level fixes. Low, who has written and spoken publicly about patient safety in veterinary medicine, has argued that most errors reflect process vulnerabilities that can recur unless practices redesign workflows, equipment safeguards, and communication systems. (aaha.org)
Why it matters: For veterinary professionals, the topic lands at the intersection of patient safety, team wellbeing, and risk management. Industry and academic sources suggest veterinary medicine still lacks the mature incident reporting frameworks common in human healthcare, while fear of blame, hierarchy, and limited psychological safety can suppress reporting. That matters because near-miss and adverse-event reporting can help clinics spot repeat hazards, from medication mix-ups to anesthesia workflow failures, and support team members affected by mistakes rather than isolating them. It also connects to a wider workplace conversation inside the profession: VetGirl’s recent leadership content has emphasized that happier, more supported teams do better work and are less likely to disengage, gossip, or leave, reinforcing the link between healthy culture, safer care, and retention. FDA guidance also encourages reporting veterinary medication errors, even when no adverse event occurs, underscoring the value of learning from close calls as well as harm events. (fda.gov)
What to watch: Expect continued interest in just-culture tools, incident reporting platforms, and CE content that helps hospitals turn error discussions into practical safety improvements. VetGirl is also continuing to position this topic within its broader CE programming, including related on-demand content on psychological safety and its June 19–21, 2026 VETgirl U meeting in Salt Lake City. (thecriticalsignal.com)