March 2017

Special Issue

Next Generation Safety Training

To mark national Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 12-18), this edition of Patient Safety Beat features some of the innovative ways that Massachusetts' medical and nursing schools are building safety principles into their curriculums to shape safety awareness and skills for the next generation of clinicians.

Focus on Safety Education

Transforming medical culture one student at a time

Massachusetts medical schools are using innovative educational techniques to make safety a stronger part of the curriculum. 

All safety is personal

Dr. Jodi Abbott asks students at Boston University School of Medicine to find out whether any family members have been harmed by medical error. Nearly half learn someone has — which really drives patient safety home. 

Can Mr. Potato Head toys help teach the fundamentals of safer medicine?

Definitely, say students and instructors who've tried it. Spoiler alert: it teaches teamwork and communication. 

Five Questions with Eric Dickson, M.D.

An emergency room doctor turned hospital CEO explains how that unique training exercise helps drive process improvements throughout UMass Memorial Medical Center. 

Building safer care into patients' phones

These two Boston University medical students took a year off and created a smartphone app that helps patients recover from surgery. 

Just One Thing

What should medical students know about patient safety?

In recognition of the many advances in safety education highlighted in this special issue, we asked deans at Massachusetts medical schools what would be just one thing they hope their students learn about safety before graduating. Here is what they said: 

Tufts University School of Medicine

"Effective communications, particularly on patient handoffs, is of paramount importance to prevent medical errors. It involves communications between providers but also with patients and families.
I want our students to know that clarity of communications is a
patient safety issue and that modeling effective communications is
part of their job."

- Dean Harris A. Berman, MD  

Boston University School of Medicine

"We know that no provider can be perfect. We need appropriate systems to identify and correct mistakes to protect patients. Systems problems require systems solutions."

- Dean Karen H. Antman, MD  

University of Massachusetts
School of Medicine

"Our emphasis is on interprofessional teams. We want every student to learn that every member of the team should be empowered to speak out on behalf of the patient, if they have a safety concern."

- Dean Terence R. Flotte, MD  

Upcoming events

Twitter Chat – Patient Safety: What Patients Want (and Need) to Know

When: TODAY! Tuesday, March 14, 2017 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
What: NPSF (@theNPSF) will host a Twitter Chat. Anyone may participate by using the hashtag #psaw17chat.

Webcast – The Voice of the Patient and the Public

When: Wednesday, March 15, 2017 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM
What: NPSF is hosting this complimentary webcast. While free of charge, it requires registration.
Click for more information and to register

Patient Safety Forum – Improving Patient Safety, Improving Value

When: Thursday, March 30, 2017 7:30 AM - 2:00 PM
What: Co-provided by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors and Healthcentric Advisors, the program will showcase highly leveraged strategies to accelerate improvement.
Click for more information and to register

The 5th Annual Communication, Apology, and Resolution Forum

When: Thursday, April 13, 2017 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM; 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM
What: Join MACRMI in learning about the outcomes of its pilot study and new resources and find out how to work through difficult conversations when a case needs further review.
Click for more information and to register

Patient Safety Beat is published monthly by the Betsy Lehman Center, a state agency that uses communications, research, and data to catalyze the efforts of providers, policymakers, and consumers working toward safer health care in Massachusetts.