David W. Bates, MD, MS, an internationally recognized and respected expert in patient safety, will present the 2025 William A. Zellmer Lecture on Sept. 18 during ASHP's Policy Week, where nearly 100 ASHP member leaders gather to recommend professional policies focused on improving patient care and advancing pharmacy practice.
ASHP established the William A. Zellmer Lecture in 2010 in collaboration with the ASHP Foundation to honor Zellmer’s contributions to policy development, advocacy, planning, and communications during his career with ASHP. The lecture is given by a distinguished individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in advancing healthcare-related public policy that improves the safety and effectiveness of medication use through pharmacist engagement.
Bates served as chief of the Division of General Internal Medicine and Primary Care at Brigham and Women’s Hospital for 25 years, stepping down in 2024, and is currently the medical director of clinical and quality analysis and information systems at Mass General Brigham. He is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a professor of health policy and management at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, where he co-directs the Program in Clinical Effectiveness. He is also a member of the National Academy of Medicine and editor of the Journal of Patient Safety.
Bates is recognized for using information technology to measure and improve the quality of care and medication safety. His research has advanced the understanding and prevention of adverse drug events and the development of more effective clinical decision support systems.
His research interests also include using artificial intelligence to improve care, evaluating the impact of patient computing applications, improving provider satisfaction through electronic communications, addressing health equity, improving quality of care and cost-effectiveness in electronic communications, and assessing outcomes.
Bates earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Stanford University, a Doctor of Medicine from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and a Master of Science in Health Policy and Management from the Harvard School of Public Health.
To learn more about the lecture and past lectures, visit the William A. Zellmer Lecture Series webpage.
About ASHP
ASHP is the largest association of pharmacy professionals in the United States, representing 60,000 pharmacists, student pharmacists, and pharmacy technicians in all patient care settings, including hospitals, ambulatory clinics, and health-system community pharmacies. For over 80 years, ASHP has championed innovation in pharmacy practice, advanced education, and professional development, and served as a steadfast advocate for members and patients. In addition, ASHP is the accrediting body for pharmacy residency and technician training programs and provides comprehensive resources to support pharmacy professionals through every stage of their careers. For more information, visit ashp.org and ASHP’s consumer website, SafeMedication.com. Learn more about ASHP’s public awareness campaign at yourpharmacist.org.
