Robert Wears
Robert L. Wears (1947 – July 15, 2017[1]) was an American medical doctor, professor of emergency medicine, and safety researcher[1][2] who integrated human factors in healthcare,[3] doing studies of technical work in complex socio-technical systems, joint and distributed cognitive systems, and the impact of information technology on safety and resilient performance.[1]
Robert L. Wears | |
---|---|
Born | 1947 |
Died | July 15, 2017 |
Nationality | American |
Alma mater | Johns Hopkins University University of North Florida Mines Paris - PSL |
Scientific career | |
Fields | emergency medicine, patient safety |
Institutions | University of Florida |
Thesis | Resilience Dynamics in Uncertain, High Tempo, High Stakes Settings (2011) |
Described as one of the country's leading experts in patient safety[4] and emergency medicine,[5] Wears published over 400 articles, books, and book chapters related to patient safety, resilient health care, and emergency medicine.[2]
There are two safety awards named in his honor: The Robert L. Wears Early Career Award[3] offered by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, and the Robert L. Wears Patient Safety Leadership Award[6] offered by Jacksonville University.
Biography
Wears graduated from Johns Hopkins University in 1969 with a BA in liberal arts.[7] After completing his degree, he enrolled in the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, completing his medical degree in 1973.[7] He did his residency at the University Hospital of Jacksonville, where he served as chief resident in 1978.[7]
In 1979, Wears left his residency at the University Hospital to form a group of board-certified emergency physicians,[2] which was the year that the American Board of Emergency Medicine first received approval.[7]
In 1986, Wears took a faculty position as a professor in the department of emergency medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville.[4]
In 1995, Wears earned a master's degree in computer science from the University of North Florida,[4][8] and in 2011 he obtained his PhD in industrial safety[4][8] from the Ecole Nationale Superior des Mines de Paris Centre de Recherché sur les Risques et les Crises, graduating with honors.[7] His PhD thesis was titled Resilience Dynamics in Uncertain, High Tempo, High Stakes Settings[2].
In 2013, Wears was appointed to a three-year term as a University of Florida Research Foundation professor.[4]
In 2014, Wears received an honorary five-year appointment from the University of Southern Denmark.[4]
Wears was a member of multiple professional societies and organizations, including the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, and served on the board of directors for the Emergency Medicine Patient Safety Foundation.[1] He served on the editorial board of the Annals of Emergency Medicine from 1990 through his death,[7] and the journal maintains a web page with a collection of his editorials.[9] He was a Life Fellow of this American College of Emergency Physicians.[1]
References
- "COMJ faculty mourn loss of esteemed colleague » College of Medicine – Jacksonville | University of Florida". med.jax.ufl.edu. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
- Kamens, Don (2017-11-01). "Robert L. Wears, MD, PhD, 1947–2017". Annals of Emergency Medicine. 70 (5): 742–743. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.08.052. ISSN 0196-0644. PMID 29056209.
- "The Robert L. Wears Early Career Award". HFES - Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
- Patton, Charlie. "Robert Wears, one of nation's leading patient-safety experts, dies at 70". The Florida Times-Union. Retrieved 2022-10-09.
- "2017 Council Resolution 9: In Memory of Robert Wears, MD, FACEP". American College of Emergency Physicians. 2017-11-01. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
- QSEN. "Robert L. Wears Patient Safety Leadership Award". Retrieved 2022-10-09.
- Berger, Eric (2017-11-01). "Robert L. "Bob" Wears, Emergency Medicine Elder Statesman, Patient Safety Expert, Dies: Colleagues, Friends Recall His Brilliance, Humility". Annals of Emergency Medicine. 70 (5): A18–A20. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2017.09.021. ISSN 0196-0644. PMID 28645410.
- Wears, Robert. "Robert Wears LinkedIn page". Retrieved 2022-10-08.
- "Annals of Emergency Medicine". www.annemergmed.com. Retrieved 2022-10-09.