Dr Safety

Here is my latest publication regarding improving hospital patient safety.  In this quick review I report on 6 principles most hospitals or practices can begin to institute today to start on the road to safer healthcare. The six principles are: We’re only human Leadership paves the road to high reliability Quality improvement is a part of everyone’s workday Planning is everything It’s what you know that matters One size does not fit all Many thanks to the editors of Patient Safety and Quality Healthcare. Hope this meets with your satisfaction!  https://www.psqh.com/analysis/improving-hospital-patient-safety-six-basic-principles-to-guide-our-pursuit/

Quality healthcare is composed of six dimensions.  Patient Safety is the first dimension of quality. Patient Centeredness, Timeliness and Clinical Effectiveness follow closely behind.  Equitability and Efficiency round out the equation. According to AHRQ: "Safe: Avoiding harm to patients from the care that is intended to help them. Effective: Providing services based on scientific knowledge to all who could benefit and refraining from providing services to those not likely to benefit (avoiding underuse and misuse, respectively). Patient-centered: Providing care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient preferences, needs, and values and ensuring that patient values guide all clinical decisions. Timely: Reducing waits and sometimes harmful delays for both those who receive and those who give care. Efficient: Avoiding waste, including waste of equipment, supplies, ideas, and energy. Equitable: Providing care that does not vary in quality because of personal

Today's entry is adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention... Many people are prescribed antibiotics without good reason. This may lead to resistance of bacteria, overgrowth of harmful bacteria in the gut, and possibly even death. Taking medications unnecessarily exposes one to the harmful side effects and drug-drug interactions of these medications without the benefit. The CDC is trying to prevent these problems by educating patients and physicians regarding the proper use of antibiotics. Next time your doctor prescribes an antibiotic ask questions like: What disease/infection are treating me for? Is there a clinical guideline you are following? Is my infection actually bacterial? What can I do to prevent antibiotic associated diarrhea? How do I take this medicine safely? Will it interact with my current medications? What are the side effects I can expect? From CDC: "Upper respiratory infections account for three quarters of all antibiotics prescribed by off

There is much written about America's "best" hospitals and doctors. Entire national magazine issues are dedicated to such proclamations. Whole industries have popped up to measure "quality." So much in fact that one would think everyone knows what "best" means. What is quality? In fact, when pressed, many physicians and nurses haven't a clue as to what metrics go into assessing the quality of care delivered by their hospital. Many will seize upon the catch phrase, "evidence based medicine" and claim that it is the best docs and centers that practice this. Of course one next must define what is meant by evidence based care and we are often met with blank stares. Please do not mention that over 40% of patients do not receive the recommended care due them. And of course there are those pesky 15 million episodes of patient harm that must be happening at some of these best hospitals with some of these best doctors...98,000 people [at least] di

How many have suffered with a loved one over a poor healthcare outcome? The last time you were admitted to the hospital was the care what you expected? Were you satisfied? Are you the pilot of your own health? Or the passenger in a sinking ship? Those who have studied patient safety understand that humans will make mistakes. The secret to success involves protecting patients from those mistakes and preventing harm. Do good nurses make good hospitals? ...or is it the other way around? Please post your responses and open our dialogue...Thank you.