Our People Are How We Keep the Promise of Zero Harm

This comment made my day while reading your engagement survey responses last night:

“I love making a difference in people's lives. Even the little things go a long way. This is why I strive to be nice. You never know the things people are going through or how you can impact someone's life. Even if it is a smile and a simple ‘good morning.’ For the patients, it makes me want to cry when I see the difference I've made and it improves their health and attitude for the good.”

I’m now 500+ pages into your survey comments, and I’m still going. Because every word matters.

That comment above reminded me of something we live by at GBMC: the way you do one thing is the way you do everything. When someone takes time to smile at a stranger, they’re probably the same person who double-checks a patient’s med list, catches a subtle symptom, or mentors a new teammate. Excellence isn’t a switch we flip on and off. It’s who we are.

It’s also why I’m so excited to have Samantha Crandall, our new Senior Vice President of Quality and Patient Safety, by our side. Sam is a nationally recognized expert who brings incredible experience, infectious energy, and a passion for high reliability. She makes quality work feel personal, purposeful, and even fun. Most importantly, she shares my belief that Zero Harm is a promise we keep together.

I hope you’ll take a few minutes to get to know Sam in her own words through the Q&A below. Welcome to the team, Sam! We’re lucky to have you leading our high reliability, Zero Harm journey.  

Q: Welcome to GBMC! Tell us a little about yourself outside of work.

I’m so happy to be here, both professionally and personally. Outside of work, I’m a mom of two, an animal lover, and someone who relaxes by reading, gardening, and occasionally creating chalk art. I’m excited to be here and looking forward to getting to know the GBMC community.

Q: What first drew you to healthcare, and how did patient safety become “your jam”?

After earning my nursing degree in San Diego, my first job was at Kearny Mesa Convalescent Hospital and Nursing Home. I’ll be honest... I wasn’t sure elder care was for me. But I quickly fell in love with the residents and the relationships we built. I made a values-based decision to move on from my first role, which led me into a quality department at an acute care hospital. That’s where I was introduced to systems thinking and high reliability – and everything clicked. I partnered closely with performance improvement teams, supported a healthcare system through the formal adoption of high reliability organizing, and have spent my career learning, asking questions, and working to improve quality and safety outcomes while hopefully inspiring others to get just as excited about this work as I am.

Q: You’ve continued your education and connection to high reliability over the years. Why was that important to you?

I have a genuine thirst for learning, especially when it comes to reducing harm and improving outcomes. That curiosity eventually inspired me to earn my PhD focused on patient safety, which helped shape how I think about high reliability and system improvement. Every step along the way reinforced that this work is never “done.” We can always learn, improve, and do better for patients and each other.

Q: You’re known for making quality and safety engaging and fun. Why does that matter to you?

Because safety shouldn’t feel tedious or abstract. I love presenting and educating (whether at national conferences or locally) by breaking down complex concepts and making them relatable. Last year, I used holiday characters to explain high reliability principles, and the enthusiasm I saw in response inspired this year’s “12 Days of Safety,” where I highlight team behaviors that promote a culture of safety. When people enjoy learning, the lightbulb goes on, and the concepts stick. That’s when real change happens!

Q: How do you view quality and safety at GBMC?

I strongly believe quality and patient safety at GBMC doesn’t belong to any one team or department – it belongs to everyone. Every person plays a role in reliability, driving towards zero harm, and improving outcomes that matter most.  What stands out to me is the genuine belief in GBMC’s vision that every patient is cared for as if they are our own loved one – a shared purpose that unites us in delivering the highest-quality, safest care to our community.

Q: What excites you most about joining GBMC HealthCare?

The team! Hands down. I’ve inherited a dynamite group with a strong foundation, deep passion, and incredible expertise. I can’t wait to learn from them and partner on opportunities ahead. I’m also excited to be part of an independent health system. Having come from a large academic environment, I truly value the ability to be nimble, innovative, and move the needle quickly, while maintaining strong relationships with our academic partners.

Q: What’s your hope for the road ahead?

My hope is that every team member at GBMC feels empowered, valued, and connected to our shared mission of Zero Harm. Together, I know we can do extraordinary things. 

COMMENTS

**Richard Roys commented on 12/26/25 at 07:26:**
Good morning,

The first thing I'd like to say is I have been employed here for 34 years. I used to job hop every 5 years but found GBMC to be a great place to work because of the great doctors and nurses here, and the sense of a family environment.
I have had concerns over the last 10 years that GBMC has been heading in the wrong direction with spending money in superfluous projects while the core of the hospital infrastructure is decaying, Housekeeping is horrible and does not do their job, resulting in a dirty environment. We have to make calls over and over again to get our area cleaned correctly. 
A big concern of most people I work with is security. If you go to any other hospital in the area you have to show a badge if you are an employee, and if you are coming in for services or visiting, you must present a driver's license and then are given a pass you must wear. This is not the case at GBMC. Recently security has been checking employee badges, but the employees are not the people I worry about, it's the random people that come and go. I personally feel unsafe when I get called in during late hours, the halls are empty with no security in sight.

Thanks for listening to my concerns,

      **Dr. Gopalakrishnan replied:**
      Richard, thank you for this candid feedback. I have read similar comments in our staff engagement survey as well, and I agree with you.  You will see material changes in the near future. Our security is finalizing their plans.
 

**Roy Crandall commented on 12/23/25 at 15:14:**
You're incredible!

      **Dr. Gopalakrishnan replied:**
      You are too kind. Thanks for reading my message.