Brian LaCroix Joins the Center for Patient Safety

COLUMBIA, Mo. - Feb. 17, 2020 - PRLog -- The Center for Patient Safety welcomes Brian LaCroix to its team dedicated to improving patient safety in emergency medical services (EMS) throughout the country.  LaCroix brings decades of EMS leadership to CPS, together with a deep understanding of the industry at a national level.  He will be responsible for developing new contacts and programs, as well as sharing his deep-seated knowledge and experience to improve current programs.

"We are thrilled to have Brian as part of our team," said Kathy Wire, CPS interim executive director. "He will bring new insight and energy to a critical component of our work."

CPS couples its extensive experience in broad healthcare patient safety with a focus on EMS, a component of the healthcare spectrum often underserved by the patient safety community.  CPS strives to bring an understanding of patient safety culture and practices to EMS, and LaCroix will support that effort.

Lacroix recently retired as President and EMS Chief of Allina Health Emergency Medical Services, St. Paul, Minnesota. Allina Health EMS serves more than one million Minnesota residents with 9-1-1 service in more than 120 communities. He currently serves as President of the National EMS Management Association and liaison to the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada.  During his career LaCroix has worked as a volunteer firefighter, EMT, and paramedic. He is a Fellow in the American College of Paramedic Executives, holds a paramedic degree and a bachelor's degree in business administration. He has worked on extended international EMS projects in Nicaragua, France and Croatia.

CPS is a non-profit organization that provides services to help EMS providers assess and improve their safety culture with a mission to reduce preventable harm.  Those services include a validated safety culture assessment tool, education, coaching and just/accountable culture development.  It is also a federally-listed Patient Safety Organization, which provides confidentiality and privilege protection for the quality and safety work performed by PSO participants.