President's Message

Abstract

As the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) representative for ORNAC, one of the 77 voting member organizations of CPSI, I have had the privilege of attending the Halifax series – the Canadian Healthcare Safety Symposiums – beginning with the first invitational board meeting in 2005 and including the recent October 2009 series in Montreal. I am reminded, with the presentations at each symposium, of the significance of communication, collaboration, trust, and respect. All are important components that are necessary for a surgical team to function as a cohesive unit.