Dr. John T. James, Veritas Health Care Founding Member

A man in suit and tie sitting at a table.

John T. James, Ph.D., DABT

Houston, Texas

Dr. James received his PhD in pathology from the University of Maryland and has been board certified in general toxicology since 1986 (DABT). He worked 8 years as a toxicologist studying chemical warfare defense at the Chemical Research and Development Center in Aberdeen, Maryland, followed by 25 years at NASA in Houston where he served as the agency’s chief toxicologist. He became a patient safety activist and educator following the death of his 19-year old son in 2002 due to uninformed and unethical medical care by cardiologists in his college town.

Patient Safety America(See http://PatientSafetyAmerica.com), an organization dedicated to educating ordinary citizens about overuse, misuse, and underuse of medical services and healthcare risks, was founded by Dr. James in 2008. He is an affiliate of the Consumers Union Safe Patient Project (http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2014/05/survive-your-hospital-stay/index.htm), a former member of the State of Texas Healthcare Acquired Infection and Preventable Adverse Event Advisory Panel (2010-2015), and Project Leader of Healthcare Justice/Patient Safety Grant from the General Board of Church and Society of the United Methodist Church (2013).

He has received numerous patient safety advocacy awards which include the following: Semmelweiss Society Award for Patient Safety Advocacy (2008); Patient & Family Scholar, National Patient Safety Foundation (2008); Testimony on patient safety to Congressional No-Fear Tribunal (2008); and Presentation to the Institute of Medicine on patient safety (2008). Dr. James has given television interviews for patient safety advocacy and patient rights and spoken to civic, political, medical and religious groups on patient safety and patient rights. He has also received newspaper coverage and written many patient safety articles/letters. Below are publications, writings and interviews by Dr. James.

Patient Safety Publications:

  • James JT (2016). Re: Medical error–the third leading cause of death in the US. A better way (letter). BMJ, May 20, 2016. http://www.bmj.com/content/353/bmj.i2139/rr-49
  • James JT (2015). The last run: An undiagnosed heart rhythm disturbance. Case 7, Ppg 83-96 in Eds. Johnson J, Haskell H, and Barach P. Case Studies in Patient Safety, (Jones and Bartlett Learning, Burlington, MA)
  • James JT and Brown CL (2014). Introduction-The Empowered Patient. Ppg xiii-xxii in The Truth About Big Medicine – Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Care. Eds. Brown CL, James JT. (Rowman & Littlefield, New York).
  • James JT and Tower SS (2014). Dangerous Medical Devices. Ppg 67-80 in The Truth About Big Medicine – Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Care. Eds. Brown CL, James JT. (Rowman & Littlefield, New York).
  • James JT (2014) Prescription Drugs – To Heal and To Harm. Ppg 107-124 in The Truth About Big Medicine – Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Care. Eds. Brown CL, James JT. (Rowman & Littlefield, New York).
  • Lasater D, Brown C, James JT (2014). Medical Guidelines and Informed Consent – Routes to Safer Medical Care. Ppg 155-161 in The Truth About Big Medicine – Righting the Wrongs for Better Health Care. Eds. Brown CL, James JT. (Rowman & Littlefield, New York).
  • James JT (2013) A New, Evidence-based Estimate of Patient Harms Associated with Hospital Care. Journal of Patient Safety 9:122-128
  • Haskell, H, Mannix ME, James, JT, Mayer, D (2012) Parent and Families as Partners in the Care of Pediatric Cardiology Patients (2012) Prog Pediatr Cardiol 33:67-72
  • James, JT (2007) A Sea of Broken Hearts-Patient Rights in a Dangerous, Profit-Driven Health Care System, Author-house, Bloomington, IN

Selected writings and interviews: