David Bates, M.D., M.Sc. Closed Now

Dr. David Bates is widely recognized as one of the most influential figures in healthcare informatics, patient safety, and health data systems. He currently serves as the Chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and is also a Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School. His career spans over three decades of pioneering research at the intersection of medicine, technology, and safety.

Dr. Bates is perhaps best known for his groundbreaking work on patient safety and medication errors, where his studies demonstrated the power of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems to significantly reduce medical errors. This research laid the foundation for widespread adoption of clinical decision support systems across hospitals worldwide.

In addition to his patient safety contributions, Dr. Bates has been a leader in advancing electronic health records (EHRs) and their use for improving care quality. His research has influenced policy and practice both in the United States and globally, particularly in designing safer and more effective health IT infrastructure.

Dr. Bates has also served as an advisor to government bodies, including the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the Institute of Medicine (IOM), shaping strategies for digital health adoption. He has authored over 700 peer-reviewed publications, making him one of the most cited researchers in clinical informatics and patient safety.

His ongoing work focuses on how big data, predictive analytics, and AI can be leveraged to anticipate adverse events, optimize treatments, and create more resilient healthcare systems. Dr. Bates continues to lead large-scale projects exploring the integration of advanced data science into routine clinical care.