The Magic of Simulation: Routine Practice for Expert Performance
The MGH Learning Laboratory was created in 2009 to integrate clinical simulation as a quality and safety tool across the MGH.
About May Pian-Smith, MD, MS
My clinical specialty is obstetric anesthesia and my work has been focused on improving the healthcare of women. I have pursued fellowship training in Medical Education and Patient Safety, and these areas continue to be the focus of my research efforts and committee work. I am privileged to lead the Division of Quality & Safety in the Dept of Anesthesia, Critical Care & Pain Medicine. Our mission is to learn from our successes and failures, continuously improve the quality of care we provide, commit to a culture of safety that protects our patients and colleagues, and to inspire and develop the next generation of quality & safety leaders.
Clinical Interests:
- Obstetric anesthesia
- Quality and safety
Treats:
- Adult
Locations
Mass General Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
55 Fruit St.
Boston, MA 02114
Phone: 617-726-3030
Medical Education
- MD, Stony Brook Medicine
- Residency, Brigham and Women's Hospital
- Fellowship, Brigham and Women's Hospital
American Board Certifications
- Anesthesiology, American Board of Anesthesiology
Accepted Insurance Plans
- Aetna
- Beech Street
- Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Blue Cross Blue Shield Medicare
- Cigna
- Commonwealth Care Alliance
- Coventry
- Fallon Health
- Harvard Pilgrim Health Care
- Humana
- Maine Community Health Options
- Mass General Brigham Health Plan
- MassHealth
- Medicaid ME
- Medicaid NH
- Medicaid VT
- Medicare
- Medicare ACO
- Multiplan
- Senior Whole Health
- TriCare
- Tufts Health Plan
- United Health Care
- Wellpoint
- WellSense
- WellSense NH
Note: This provider may accept more insurance plans than shown; please call the practice to find out if your plan is accepted.
Research
Research Areas
- Quality and Safety
- Medical Education and Innovation
- Simulation
- Obstetric Anesthesia
Description of Research
I am interested in developing, studying and assessing innovative teaching modalities for adult learners, primarily with simulation-based exercises, theories based in organizational behavior, and with web-based technology. Improving the effectiveness of our learning creates opportunities for further exploration and creativity; it improves our communication, teamwork, professional satisfaction and ultimately the quality of our patient care.
My clinical research has been centered on improving our care of obstetric patients, including high-risk patients with preeclampsia, cardiomyopathy and other co-existing illnesses. I am also developing interdisciplinary and multi-institutional patient safety initiatives and studying the effects of different types of drills, use of check-lists, etc.
In all aspects of my work I take great pride and pleasure in mentoring residents, fellows and junior faculty with case reports and research projects. They have had opportunities to present their work at national and international meetings, and to prepare manuscripts for publication.