Safety Culture

Next Survey on Patient Safety Culture Begins April 2nd!

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in AHRQ, Media, Patient Safety Culture, Patient Safety Survey    Posted March 6, 2012    |    Comments Off

Are you ready for AHRQ’s Survey on Patient Safety culture at your location?  Submit your interest form for the April 2nd survey cycle by Thursday, March 8th!

Did you know?  The patient safety culture survey provides feedback on your organization’s communication, teamwork, patient safety, leadership, and staff engagement?  The results can be used to improve your current culture and improve patient satisfaction, reduce liability exposure, improve staff satisfaction, reduce staff turnover, reduce liability insurance, and much more! Read More

Tips for a Successful Survey on Patient Safety Culture

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in AHRQ, Center Info, Culture of Safety, Patient Safety, Patient Safety Survey    Posted February 2, 2012    |    Comments Off

The Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture is an invaluable diagnostic tool that allows you to look beyond the physical impression of your facility’s culture. AHRQ’s in-depth study of question formatting, wording, and categorizing has resulted in a highly reliable resource that can provide a detailed analysis of your patient safety culture. The results will provide supporting evidence of positive cultural improvements and locate areas of cultural weaknesses.  AHRQ offers a national database so you can see how you measure up:  Check out the 2012 Comparative Database Report!

But all too often, surveys are distributed, results are collected, and then… nothing happens.  Read More

Hospitals face fines for overdose, leaving sponge in patient

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in Culture of Safety, Just Culture, Medical Error, Patient Safety    Posted December 16, 2011    |    Comments Off

L.A. NOW – Southern California

The California Department of Public Health issued $850,000 in fines against 14 hospitals for medical errors that caused — or were likely to cause — serious injury or death to patients, officials announced Thursday.

Three of the hospitals — Henry Mayo Newhall Memorial Hospital, Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center and Torrance Memorial Medical Center — were in Los Angeles County.

Read More

TJC Issues Sentinel Event Alert: Fatigue Impacts Patient Safety

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in Culture of Safety, Preventable Errors, Quality of Care    Posted December 15, 2011    |    Comments Off

The link between health care worker fatigue and patient safety is not unfamiliar.  But have you assessed your organization to mitigate health-care worker fatigue-related risks?  The Joint Commission suggests the following: a review of the work shift schedule with staff involvement; an assessment of high-risk processes and procedures (such as patient hand-offs); education on sleep hygiene (getting enough sleep and practicing good sleep habits that can impact sleep); and promotion of a safe culture through open communication about fatigue concerns as well as a focus on  teamwork to support staff working extended hours. The result of these efforts can protect your patients from harm.

Read more about what you can do in Issue 48 of the The Joint Commission Sentinel Event Alert.

For more information, check out our links to several Communication & Teamwork Toolkits!

Interested in finding out what your safety culture is? Check out the Survey on Patient Safety Culture!

 

 

Surgical Fire Prevention Toolkit from the FDA

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in FDA, Patient Safety, Preventable Errors, Prevention    Posted October 12, 2011    |    Comments Off

The Food and Drug Administration has launched the Preventing Surgical Fires Initiative.  Resources that are part of the initiative include a toolkit for organizations to use to reduce the risk of surgical fires including a fire safety video from the Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation.  As part of the initiative, the Association of PeriOperative Registered Nurses is making the Fire Safety Toolkit available for download free of charge through November 13. 

5 Years of Progress – 2010 – JUST RELEASED!

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in Center Info, Just Culture, Media, Patient Safety, PSO    Posted June 3, 2011    |    Comments Off

Pride in our work! We think it really shows in our recently published report: 5 Years of Progress–2010.

Safety improvement involves everyone who drives the delivery of health care, and many have established important partnerships with the Center.  Together, in just five years, we established the Center as a leader in PSO services, working with more than 180 providers to report medical mistakes, efficiently learn valuable information from those mistakes, and take actions aimed at prevention. Read More

The Center’s Patient Safety Tele-Forum with Host, Nick Haines from KCPT-TV

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in Accountable Care, AHRQ, Center Info, David Marx, Department of Health and Human Services, Diane Cousins, HHS, Judy Baker, Just Culture, Media, Prevention, Sean Berenholz    Posted May 10, 2011    |    Comments Off

Nick Haines

The below Tele-Forum segments, hosted by KCPT’s Nick Haines, include patient safety experts, Judy Baker, Dr. Sean Berenholz, David Marx, Becky Miller and Diane Cousins, whose brief and information-packed discussions trigger a wide variety of potential news stories.

A consistent and key goal for the Center is patient safety awareness within the health care industry, for the media and the general public.  We intensify our awareness and educational efforts each year in the month of April to further increase the use of patient safety language and cultural practices professionally and publicly.

Learn More.

Navigating the Health Care System

Posted by MOCPS    Posted in AHRQ, Carolyn M. Clancy, Just Culture, Patient Safety    Posted May 4, 2011    |    Comments Off

Advice Columns from Dr. Carolyn Clancy

AHRQ Director Carolyn Clancy, M.D., has prepared brief, easy-to-understand advice columns for consumers to help navigate the health care system. They will address important issues such as how to recognize high-quality health care, how to be an informed health care consumer, and how to choose a hospital, doctor, and health plan. Check back regularly for new columns.

Safety Culture Creates Better Care for Patients

By Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D.

May 3, 2011

The more we know about safety, the better.

That’s why a landmark report on medical errors from the Institute of Medicine remains as important today as it did when it came out 10 years ago. Called “To Err is Human,” Exit Disclaimer the report urged hospitals to develop a “culture of safety” to reduce risks and improve care for patients.  Read more.

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