Dear Colleagues,
The Center continues to work toward establishing an international
collaborative network of patient safety leaders throughout the world to help
identify health care safety needs and match them with known better or best
practices. This month, the articles we have chosen provide straightforward,
patient-centric advice and direction for organizations and staff on a variety
of issues. In addition, we are highlighting the outcome of a symposium
sponsored by the Center on Wrong Site, Wrong Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery
and three important reports that have been released by The Joint Commission
relating to patient safety and quality of care.
This month’s first article, “Working Together to Improve MRI Safety,”
explores using an interdisciplinary approach—involving clinical, operational,
and facilities staff—to finding MRI safety solutions. Written by architect
Tobias Gilk, this article is an excellent resource for organizations looking
for guidance in their efforts to maximize MRI safety.
“Avoiding Allergic Reactions: Caring for Patients with Drug, Food, and
Latex Allergies” alerts readers to the importance of awareness of patients’
reactions (or potential reactions) to the three most common allergens to which
patients can be exposed: latex, medications, and food. Practical advice and
sample questionnaires are provided.
Our monthly JCR book excerpt—a portion of Chapter Three, “Explore the
Link between Patient
Safety and Patient Education” from The Joint Commission Guide to
Patient & Family Education—discusses how vital communication can be
between a caregiver and patient or their family. Improving patient safety
requires continuous learning and the constant communication of information
between organizations, health care staff, and patients and their families, and
this excerpt examines the foundations of a communicative health care
relationship.
“Summit on Wrong Site Surgery Convened” provides a summary of
findings at The Joint Commission’s Summit on Wrong Site Surgery on February 23,
2007, attended by approximately 50 professional societies and associations, as
well as selected interest groups. The summit revisited the original 2003
conference on this subject, which that led to the creation of The Joint
Commission’s Universal Protocol for the Prevention of Wrong Site, Wrong
Procedure, Wrong Person Surgery™.
Three important Joint Commission reports are recommended reading for care
leaders and caregivers alike. “Hospitals, Language, and Culture: A Snapshot
of the Nation” calls for and outlines the national strategies needed to
better serve increasingly the diverse patient population in American hospitals.
“Improving America's Hospitals: A Report on Quality and Safety” details
the successes hospitals have achieved via performance improvement processes
since 2002. “‘What Did the Doctor Say?:’ Improving Health Literacy to
Protect Patient Safety” examines the existing communications gap between
patients and caregivers as a series of challenges involving literacy, language,
and culture, and suggests multiple steps that need to be taken to narrow or
even close this gap.
Also, we remind readers that the Patient Safety Practices (PSP)
section of our Web site (click
here to be directed to it) is a constantly updated online resource for
improving patient safety. Nearly 1,000 links to trusted patient safety articles
and Web sites with tips, tools and resources for addressing patient safety
problems are now available. Solutions and other research are offered in four
categories—by cause of sentinel event, by type of sentinel event, by the United
States National Patient Safety Goals, and by the International Patient Safety
Goals.
Does your organization have recent positive experiences with patient safety
awareness that you would like to share? Let us know about your success! Send an
email to patientsafetylink@jcrinc.com.
 |
 |
Peter B. Angood, M.D., FRCS(C), FACS, FCCM
Vice President & Chief Patient Safety Officer, The Joint Commission
Co-Director, Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety |
Laura Botwinick
Co-Director
Vice President, Joint Commission Resources
Joint Commission International Center for Patient Safety |