Helen Haskell

Helen Haskell, MA is president of the nonprofit patient organizations Mothers Against Medical Error and Consumers Advancing Patient Safety. Since the medical error death of her young son Lewis, Helen has devoted herself to healthcare safety and quality in a variety of fields, including patient engagement, patient narrative, medical error prevention, and respectful response to adverse events. She serves on the boards of directors of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, on the board of advisors of the International Society for Rapid Response Systems, and as co-chair of the World Health Organization’s Patients for Patient Safety advisory group. Helen has written numerous articles, book chapters, and patient educational materials, including a co-edited textbook of case studies in patient safety from the patient perspective. Her son Lewis’s story has been featured in educational programs and videos including Transparent Health’s Lewis Blackman Story, shown in medical and nursing schools across the country. Helen holds a bachelor's degree in Classical Studies from Duke University and a master’s in Anthropology from Rice University.