Name
Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word: Delivering Bad News and Apologies
Date & Time
Saturday, November 14, 2026, 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Speakers
Nicholas Adams, Cobb County Fire & Emergency ServicesEMS Division Chief
Samantha Johnson, Grady Health SystemSenior Associate General CounselSamantha Johnson, Esq., MBA, MHA is a Senior Associate General Counsel for Grady Health System, one of the largest public academic healthcare systems in the United States. She devotes a substantial portion of her time to advising, educating, and representing Grady’s hospital-based EMS division, which provides 911 emergency, specialty transport, mobile integrated healthcare, psychiatric/crisis response, and disaster response. Samantha is an accomplished author and speaker, focusing on legal issues for emergency medical services, EMTALA, guardianships, healthcare law and ethics, and insurance law. She is the co-host of FlightBridgeED, LLC’s “The Standard of Care” Podcast with EMS Chief Nick Adams, where they explore the legal and ethical complexities of emergency care. Samantha is an active member of both the State Bar of Georgia and the State Bar of South Carolina. She received her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2003, and her Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration from the Georgia State J. Mack Robinson College of Business in 2014.
Samantha Johnson, Grady Health SystemSenior Associate General CounselSamantha Johnson, Esq., MBA, MHA is a Senior Associate General Counsel for Grady Health System, one of the largest public academic healthcare systems in the United States. She devotes a substantial portion of her time to advising, educating, and representing Grady’s hospital-based EMS division, which provides 911 emergency, specialty transport, mobile integrated healthcare, psychiatric/crisis response, and disaster response. Samantha is an accomplished author and speaker, focusing on legal issues for emergency medical services, EMTALA, guardianships, healthcare law and ethics, and insurance law. She is the co-host of FlightBridgeED, LLC’s “The Standard of Care” Podcast with EMS Chief Nick Adams, where they explore the legal and ethical complexities of emergency care. Samantha is an active member of both the State Bar of Georgia and the State Bar of South Carolina. She received her law degree from the Georgia State University College of Law in 2003, and her Master of Business Administration and Master of Health Administration from the Georgia State J. Mack Robinson College of Business in 2014.
Description
In a world where saying the wrong thing at the wrong time can lead to legal trouble, is there a right way to deliver bad news? Are providers receiving the proper training on communication in difficult situations? Nick, the EMS Division Chief for one of the largest county-based ALS first response agencies in Georgia, and Samantha, an attorney for one of the largest hospital-based EMS systems in the Southeast, will describe best practices for delivering “bad news” on scene and mitigating conflict. We examine the legal protections that may be afforded to EMS providers under state “apology laws” and risk management strategies for adverse events.
NYS CME: All Levels - Core - Preparatory
Session Type
General Session