-
Room
-
Promenade West + Salons I-III
The keynote will outline Emily Adkins’ story and provide an overview of the requirements and implications of Florida’s newly enacted legislation, the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act.
Keynote Introduction – Douglas D. Adkins
Douglas Adkins is the founder of Emily’s Promise, a patient-safety initiative created in memory of his daughter, Emily Adkins, who died in 2022 from preventable blood clots. Following Emily’s death, Douglas became a leading advocate for improving awareness, prevention, and accountability around venous thromboembolism in healthcare settings.
Drawing on more than three decades of experience in healthcare leadership, policy, and legislative advocacy, Douglas worked with clinicians and lawmakers to help pass the Emily Adkins Family Protection Act, landmark legislation focused on strengthening blood-clot prevention practices, patient education, and transparency within hospitals. Through Emily’s Promise, he now works to ensure Emily’s story leads to lasting, life-saving change in patient care.
Keynote Introduction – Douglas P. Adkins
Douglas P. Adkins is a patient-safety advocate and is an active applicant to medical school. He graduated with honors from the University of South Carolina Honors College with a degree in biochemistry and molecular biology. Douglaswhose commitment to medicine was shaped by the loss of his sister, Emily. He has been actively involved in Emily’s Promise, helping to share Emily’s story with healthcare professionals and policymakers to highlight the real-world impact of missed venous thromboembolism risks.
Douglas represents the next generation of medical professionals—focused on prevention, listening to patients, and translating hard lessons into better clinical outcomes. His work reflects both a deeply personal mission and a professional dedication to compassionate, evidence-based care.
