Velocity 2012: Richard Cook, "How Complex Systems Fail"

Richard Cook explains how complex systems fail, arguing that safety is a dynamic activity and systems must be designed for resilience.

Richard Cook Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm Dr. Richard Cook is the Professor of Healthcare Systems Safety and Chairman of the Department of Patient Safety at the Kungliga Techniska Hogskolan (the Royal Institute of Technology) in Stockholm, Sweden. He is a practicing physician, researcher and educator. Dr. Cook graduated with honors from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin where he was a Scholar of the University. He worked in the computer industry in supercomputer system design and engineering applications. He received the MD degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1986 where he was a General Surgery intern. Between 1987 and 1991 he was researcher on expert human performance in Anesthesiology and Industrial and Systems Engineering at The Ohio State University. He completed an Anesthesiology residency at Ohio State in 1994. From November 1994 until April 2012 he was faculty in the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care of the University of Chicago. Dr. Cook was a member of the Board of the National Patient Safety Foundation from its inception until 2007. He is internationally recognized as a leading expert on medical accidents, complex system failures, and human performance at the sharp end of these systems. He has investigated a variety of problems in such diverse areas as urban mass transportation, semiconductor manufacturing, and military software systems. He is often a consultant for not-for-profit organizations, government agencies, and academic groups. He does not do any expert witness testimony for litigation. Dr. Cook's most often cited publications are "Gaps in the continuity of patient care and progress in patient safety", "Operating at the Sharp End: The complexity of human error", "Adapting to New Technology in the Operating Room", and the report "A Tale of Two Stories: Contrasting Views of Patient Safety"