I stood next to “Laura’s” bed just before her surgery as the nurse asked her for her list of medications and allergies. Laura shot back at the nurse, “Don’t you have it? I already gave the same list to everyone!” The nurse explained that the question is a safety precaution, meant to ensure that everyone […]
When my world became focused on patient safety 30 years ago, it wasn’t only because of my personal experience. It became important because, by talking to others, I heard of many other stories where medical care went wrong or mistakes were made, and though the patients or their families saw it coming, they did not […]
Editor’s Note: The Memorial Rehabilitation Institute received a 2018 Sherman Award for Excellence in Patient Engagement for its fall prevention program. The Sherman Award is co-sponsored by Taylor Healthcare and the IHI/NPSF Lucian Leape Institute and was awarded at the IHI/NPSF Patient Safety Congress held recently in Boston, Massachusetts. Memorial Rehabilitation Institute, located in Hollywood, Florida, […]
I’ve had an opportunity recently (here and here) to write about patient safety in the context of care for transgender patients. Thinking about issues related to providing them with safe and effective care leads back to the basics of patient-centered care. Patient centeredness is hardly a new concept, but thinking about it through the eyes […]
A few years back, I injured my right leg and had to go urgently to an emergency room in a busy suburban hospital not far from my home. As both a physician and engaged patient, I observed numerous patient safety lapses during my care, none of which, fortunately, resulted in harm. Although I was distressed […]
For those of us who specialize in patient safety, the field is very much about the science of improvement, measuring performance, testing initiatives, and keeping on top of the latest research. Patient engagement is critical to our efforts, because the voice of experience adds valuable insight and direction to health professionals and leaders seeking to […]
Editor’s Note: With remarkable transparency, Brigham Health uses the Safety Matters blog to report patient safety mistakes and near misses and share what they’ve learned. The blog also provides educational information for patients and a forum for input from the community. For this program, Brigham Health was named a finalist for the 2017 Sherman Award for Excellence in […]
Editor’s Note: Today, we presented the 2017 Sherman Awards for Excellence in Patient Engagement and named 2017’s finalists during the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Annual Congress. Below is the release that was issued this afternoon. During the coming months, EngagingPatients.org will feature the winners and finalists as guest bloggers. University of Rochester Medical Center’s UR Voice […]
On June 14, it will have been 18 years since I last saw the sweet face of my 4-year-old son, Noah. He died from a series of medical errors following a tonsillectomy, four hours after having been discharged from the emergency department (ED). One of the primary causes of his death was the disconnect between […]
Readers of this blog likely know that for the past several years, the National Patient Safety Foundation’s Lucian Leape Institute has partnered with EngagingPatients.org in presenting the John Q. Sherman Awards for Excellence in Patient Engagement. The purpose of the award is to recognize organizations and individuals who excel at patient engagement efforts and to […]