Updates | News | Press
ASPPS Announces New Two-Year Membership Option
On May 21, 2012 | Comments
The American Society of Professionals in Patient Safety recently introduced a new two-year membership option for Professional, Advocate, Student, and Affiliate-level members. Those joining the society for the first time—or those renewing a membership—can save 10 percent off the cost of the annual membership fee by joining the Society for two years. Read More→
Six Authors of Winning Patient Safety Essays to be Recognized at NPSF Congress
On May 18, 2012 | Comments
The Doctors Company Foundation and the Lucian Leape Institute, in Partnership, Present Young Physicians Patient Safety Awards
BOSTON, MA (May 18, 2011) – The Doctors Company Foundation, in partnership with the Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF), has announced the winners of The Doctors Company Foundation Young Physicians Patient Safety Awards, which recognize young physicians for their deep personal insight into the significance of patient safety work.
The awards will be conferred at the 14th Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress to be held May 23-25, 2012, in Washington, DC. Read More→
Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center to Receive NPSF Stand Up for Patient Safety Management Award
On May 18, 2012 | Comments
Medical Center Recognized for Falls Prevention Effort
Boston, MA (May 18, 2011)—The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) has announced that the 2012 Stand Up For Patient Safety Management Award will go to Lallie Kemp Regional Medical Center, part of the Louisiana State University system, LSU Health. The award will be conferred at the 14th Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress to be held May 23-25, 2012, in Washington, DC. Read More→
Reporting Patient Safety Events Challenge Announced
On May 15, 2012 | CommentsThe Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) recently launched the Reporting Patient Safety Events Challenge, designed to spur development of platform-agnostic health IT tools to facilitate the reporting of medical errors in hospital and outpatient settings. This developer contest is part of ONC’s Investing in Innovation (i2) Initiative, which holds competitions to accelerate development and adoption of technology solutions that enhance quality and outcomes.
NPSF Awards Research Grants Focusing on Critical Care Nursing and Home Health Care After Hospitalization
On May 09, 2012 | CommentsGrant Award Recipients from Johns Hopkins University and University of Pittsburgh School of Nursing
BOSTON, MA (May 9, 2012) – The National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) today announced that it has awarded a total of $200,000 in grants for two innovative patient safety research projects. The grants are awarded through the NPSF Research Grants Program, which promotes studies leading to the prevention of human errors, system errors, patient injuries, and their consequences. Read More→
Patient Safety Is Everyone’s Work
On Apr 17, 2012 | CommentsPatient Safety & Quality Healthcare | March/April 2012
NPSF President Diane C. Pinakiewicz, MBA, was recently interviewed by Susan Carr, editor of PSQH, to discuss NPSF activities, board certification in patient safety, patient engagement, and other topics relative to the state of patient safety. Read the full interview on the PSQH website or download a PDF version.
FDA Mulls Expanding Patients’ Access to Certain Drugs
On Mar 23, 2012 | CommentsU.S. News & World Report | March 23, 2012
Will patients soon be able to purchase medication over the counter that used to require a prescription? Read the full story on the U.S.News & World Report site.
TOP-MEDS: Developing Tools to Promote Medication Safety
On Mar 19, 2012 | CommentsCenter for Education and Research on Therapeutics at University of Illinois-Chicago Aims to Deliver Tools, Training, and Technology
A hospitalized patient receiving opioids for pain may have little in common with a patient in a primary care clinic who is struggling to control diabetes mellitus. Yet these vastly different clinical scenarios are similar in one significant way: In both cases, there is a strong risk that medication is not being optimally prescribed or taken, with the result being less-than-optimal outcomes and, perhaps, gaps in patient safety.
These problems are also part of the focus of a $4.25 million, five-year contract awarded last fall by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality as part of the Centers for Education and Research on Therapeutics (CERTs) program. Led by Bruce Lambert, PhD, professor of pharmacy administration and director of the CERT at the University of Illinois at Chicago, the Tools for Optimizing Medication Safety (TOP-MEDS) project has broad goals for improving the prescribing of opioids; reducing drug name confusion; enhancing post-marketing surveillance of adverse drug events; and improving patients’ understanding of and compliance with drug regimens. Read More→
Chatting About Patient Engagement…And More
On Mar 09, 2012 | CommentsThis week, the National Patient Safety Foundation (also known as “@theNPSF”) held a Twitter chat in recognition of Patient Safety Awareness Week. Although our focus was patient engagement, the conversation took a few turns. In case you missed it, we’ve summarized some of the key points for you here.
Review an edited transcript (in reverse chronological order) [PDF format].
Communication
We shared a link to NPSF’s new video, which demonstrates the Ask Me 3 program in action, then asked, “What other questions can patients ask? Or what more can they do?” Among the suggestions:
- Be sure to ask questions of all health providers, including pharmacists, infection control personnel, and others, not just your primary care providers.
- Be sure questions are asked and answered, so they are fully understood.
- Write questions down so you don’t forget them during the visit.
- Take notes
- Bring a “second set of ears”—a family member or friend who can help you remember everything.
One participant said, given how busy clinicians are, she is sometimes reluctant to ask too many question. That led to a discussion of time constraints in the modern health landscape. According to one participant, Jerome Groopman, MD, has estimated that doctors interrupt patients within the first 18 seconds of a visit.
We asked people to share some of their favorite videos or tools for patients. Not surprisingly, the AHRQ’s patient resource, Questions Are the Answer, was widely tweeted. Participants also shared information about medication safety and the safe disposal of prescription medication.
Health Literacy
We asked if low health literacy may be a reason for a lack of engagement by some patients. One participant shared a source that says 53 percent of adults have only intermediate levels of health literacy. Participants shared links to health literacy resources:
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation resources: http://t.co/OXZAHyTA
NPSF, Words to Watch: http://www.npsf.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/AskMe3_WordsToWatch_English.pdf
Also recommended by one participant: follow @Hlth_Literacy on twitter.
Raising Awareness
Of course, one of the major goals of Patient Safety Awareness Week is to raise awareness of the issue. Someone we follow, @SusanCarr, asked what people are reading this week, and that yielded links to great articles sparked by PSAW:
Informing the Journey, Not Changing the Destination by Jim Conway on the Health Care For All blog, http://t.co/P97dB0WS
@ClaudiaNichols writing for Pilot Health Advocates, http://t.co/YDzSnzJV
@TrishaTorrey writing on why the word “celebrate” is the wrong word for Patient Safety Awareness Week, http://t.co/ZcPSAJIR
Trisha Torrey rightly points out that “celebrating” is not really what the week is about. “Recognizing” or “commemorating” Patient Safety Awareness Week are probably better ways to think about it.
With that in mind, we want to make sure that everyone saves the date for next year: Patient Safety Awareness Week will be March 3-9, 2013.
A Patient Survival Guide, from a Mother who Learned Too Late
On Mar 08, 2012 | CommentsConnecticut Mirror
This article highlights the work of Helen Haskell, founder of Mothers Against Medical Error. She spoke at St. Francis Hospital in Connecticut as part of Patient Safety Awareness Week 2012 recognition, with advice and guidelines for patients. Read the full article>>
