March is National Patient Safety Awareness Month. However, safe patient care is City of Hope’s top priority every day of the year. This article will focus on the key role that you can play in making care as safe as possible.
What is “patient safety”?
Some define patient safety as “freedom from accidental injury.” Another way to think about patient safety or safe patient care is “constantly taking action to protect patients from harm.” Examples of “harm” are patients experiencing injuries resulting from falls, the wrong medication or the wrong dose, surgery being done on the wrong site or developing an infection that could have been prevented by good hand washing.
Why is patient safety such a big focus at City of Hope and across the country?
Too many patients in the United States are harmed by accidents or errors that could have been prevented. Fortunately, improving patient safety has become a focus at the national level and understanding of practices that enhance the safety of care is continually advancing. City of Hope is constantly taking steps to ensure that you receive safe, excellent care.
What has City of Hope done to make care as safe as possible?
Here are just a few examples of action that we’ve taken to enhance patient safety:
- Conducting weekly rounds wherever patient care is provided to identify potential safety issues and correct them before they cause problems.
- Developed a preprinted medication administration record that is used in the inpatient setting. This record provides members of the care team with an up-to-date list of each patient’s medications and any food or drug allergies.
- Put in place a plan for preventing falls that includes special precautions for patients who are at high risk of falls.
- Changed to intravenous infusion pumps that have electronic “guardrails” to protect patients from medication errors for all types of medications including chemotherapy medications.
- Forming a “Patient and Family Advisory Council” that will enhance teamwork among patients, family members and care providers – including partnership to advance patient safety.
Why do patients and families need to be involved?
It takes all of us working together to make health care safe. That includes doctors, nurses, pharmacists, other hospital staff … and YOU.
Research shows that patients who are actively involved in their care are more likely to have better care outcomes. By “actively involved,” we mean that you:
- Ask questions if you are unsure or have any concerns
- Share information with your caregivers
- Take part in decisions about your care
- Report any concerns that you have about your care, treatment, services or safety.
What steps can you take to be a partner in safe patient care?
Here is a starter list of ways you can help keep care safe.
1. Ask questions.
2. Tell us if you are allergic to any foods or medications.
3. Carry a list of your medications with you. Make sure that your doctor, nurse and pharmacist know about all the medications, herbs and vitamins you are taking.
4. Check to make sure that staff identifies you properly, by “matching” you with the printed labels on the medicines or blood products being given to you, or when specimens are collected from you (such as blood or urine).
5. Remind care providers to clean their hands.
6. Prevent falling in your room or elsewhere in the hospital by understanding that the hospital can be disorienting, especially at night, or when you’ve been given medicines to sleep or for pain.
7. If you are having surgery, make sure you and your doctor agree on exactly what will be done and you are clear on what will happen.
8. Ask for information about your medications in words you can understand, both when the doctor initially prescribes your medications and when you receive them from the pharmacist or nurse.
9. Make sure you understand the treatment plan that you will use at home.
How do you report a concern about the safety of your care?
We take your concerns very seriously and want to take action on them. Please report any concern that you have about your care, treatment, services or safety to your City of Hope doctor, nurse or social worker. If you prefer, you may call the Patient Advocate Office at ext. 62285 to discuss your concern.
To discuss your concern with a person outside your care team on weekends or evenings, you may call the City of Hope operator (dial “0”) and ask to be connected with the house supervisor. We will do our utmost to make sure that we address any concern that you have. If you desire, you may also share your concern with the Joint Commission, the organization that assesses how well health care facilities meet patient safety and quality standards.
How can you learn more about taking an active role in your care and in patient safety?
The City of Hope booklet, “Be A Partner in Safe Patient Care” offers more suggestions about how you can advance patient safety. If you do not have a copy, you may obtain one by asking your nurse or contacting the Department of Patient, Family and Community Education at 626-256-HOPE, ext. 62682.
Carrying a list of your medications with you and sharing it at each doctor visit are vital steps that you can take to make your care safer. Learn more about using medication safety on the Be MedWise Web site sponsored by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. You can reach the site at ww.bemedwise.org
City of Hope has a wealth of information resources to help you be an active partner in your care. Let your doctor or nurse know if you would like written information to help you understand more about your condition and/or treatment. Ask your doctor, nurse or pharmacist for information about medications, possible side effects and what to do if you experience any problems.
Educational materials and patient resources are also available through the Sheri & Les Biller Patient and Family Resource Center. The Biller Resource Center offers booklets, lists of cancer resources and Internet access to reliable sources of health information. Please visit www.cityofhope.org/billercenter for more details.
Want to be more involved?
Read the following article on the Patient and Family Advisory Council in this issue of Hope Notes. We are looking for patients and family members who want to help us make the care experience at City of Hope the very best. In addition to the Advisory Council, there are many ways that patients and families can be actively involved as advisors in shaping programs, policies and services.