Dr. Fairbanks is a nationally renowned safety scientist who leads quality, safety and infection prevention for MedStar Health, bringing systems thinking and human factors engineering into real-world healthcare operations. As founding director of the National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, he has secured millions in safety research funding and produced work that transformed EHR usability and medical device design globally. Under his leadership, the system achieved record-high quality performance, while innovations in event response and hazard identification set national benchmarks. His early work in emergency medical services and emergency pharmacy laid the groundwork for national safety programs. A fellow of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society and leader in multiple national safety organizations, Dr. Fairbanks has presented at global conferences and advised international health ministries.
