March 2018

Safety News

Diagnostic error tops patient safety concerns

Diagnostic error takes top spot on a list of patient safety concerns and
in reports issued by two leading medical malpractice insurers. 

Patient Safety Awareness Week 2018

Local safety awareness events join a national effort

Every March the patient safety community honors the improvement work being done across the country. 

Patient Safety Stars shine on 'favorite day of the year'

Massachusetts General Hospital honored individuals and teams with “Patient Safety Star” awards. 

Take 30 minutes a day for patient safety

At Hallmark Health, posters showed off programs, including a daily safety huddle that’s delivered results system-wide. 

Safety Snapshot

Challenge your assumptions about fall prevention

To keep patients safe, question common fall prevention practices and keep each patient’s goals and needs in mind. 

Upcoming events

Patient Safety Forum – Accelerating Improvement

When: Friday, May 4, 2018 from 8 AM to 2:30 PM
What: This year’s forum will focus on accelerating improvement in patient safety, including both organizational strategies that drive improvement broadly, as well as initiatives on specific processes and clinical goals.
Where: Sheraton Hotel & Conference Center, Framingham, MA
Who: Co-provided by the Massachusetts Coalition for the Prevention of Medical Errors and Healthcentric Advisors
Click to register
Details: The Forum will share lessons learned from successful initiatives, with results that include:
- 25% reduction in ED boarding time while admissions and census increased over that same time
- 18% increase in non-punitive response to errors based on the AHRQ Safety Culture Survey, from a 2-year initiative to build a safety culture through effective engagement of line staff
- 39% decrease in diagnosis of hospital-acquired C difficile and 47% reduction in C difficile testing that had stemmed from unintended consequences of a new EMR implementation.

While most of the presenters are reporting initiatives in hospital settings, the organizational strategies and information systems lessons in this program would apply in any health care organization working to improve patient safety.

IHI/NPSF Patient Safety Congress

When: May 23 - 25 2018
What: Includes keynote presentations from patient safety leaders and numerous sessions on safety culture and more. This event is the only annual meeting in the US with a singular focus on safety. (Early bird registration rate ends March 31)
Where: Hynes Convention Center, Boston, MA
Click for more information and to register

WIHI: Sustaining and Strengthening Safety Huddles

When: Thursday, April 5 from 2 - 3 PM
What: The safety huddle​ has become an important way for hospitals to surface safety concerns affecting patients and the workforce. The best huddles are multidisciplinary, highly structured, brief, take place early in the morning and focus on prior incidents while looking ahead to prevent others.
Who: The Institute for Healthcare Improvement's broadcast brings us: James L. Reinertsen, MD, The Reinertsen Group · Ronette Wiley, RN, BS, MHSA, CPPS, Executive Vice President, COO, Bassett Medical Center · Helen Mackie, MB, ChB, FRCP, Consultant Gastroenterologist, University Hairmyres Hospital, NHS Lanarkshire
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.