PG PULSE

Reclaiming What Matters: Using Social Capital to Restore Safety, Experience, and Provider Purpose

When safety, quality, and experience are no longer treated as separate initiatives, healthcare systems can be redesigned around what matters most: the people at the heart of it all.

In this episode of PG Pulse, Press Ganey’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Thomas Lee, sits down with Dr. Yael K. Heher MD MPH FRCP(C), Chief Quality Officer at Beth Israel Lahey Health, to explore the next chapter in healthcare transformation. From the boardroom to the bedside, Dr. Heher shares how leading systems are breaking down silos and building cultures rooted in empathy, trust, and social capital—where safety is not just measured, but felt, and every voice contributes to a more connected care experience.

Topics include:

• Why our definition of harm must evolve beyond the physical to include emotional and psychological safety
• How patient and employee perceptions of safety are tightly linked to outcomes, experience, and retention
• The role of respect, dignity, and feedback in redesigning care delivery
• What healthcare boards should prioritize beyond regulatory metrics
• Why micro-environments and front-line leadership are key to lasting culture change
• How to organize this work—starting with trust, shared purpose, and listening at scale