A moment on quality and patient safety.

Health care workers spend a lot of time creating solutions that are intended to improve the safety and quality in the hospital. We monitor evidence based practices and try to improve patient outcomes, using the best technology and best treatment regimens known. National agencies monitor various “indicators” that are surrogates for quality, and we create action plans to improve our results, hoping that we not only improve patient care, but are rewarded as a “Top Performer.”. Insurance companies rate hospitals based on their own perception of quality and efficiencies, and we work to meet their expectations, hoping to garner more public trust and business. All this work – all this science – all this technology. You’d think that the healthcare industry knew exactly what to do to improve quality and patient safety…
Sometimes the simplest approach is still the best. If we live our Promise: “Individuals Caring for Individuals Together” we are apt to engage in the more successful and meaningful quality and patient safety strategy yet created. If we live our Promise, we must Communicate. Studies consistently show that improving communication between care givers reduce errors. Better communication between health care workers and patients will, at the very least, improve patient care, relieve patient anxiety, and enhance the pool of knowledge surrounding the medical and social history of the patient. Better communication with the patient’s family will allow peace of mind and even improve patient care by allowing the family to assist in the staging and planning of the immediate and long term treatments needed by the patient.
Quality and Patient Safety are achieved by a blend of science, technology, education and intense dedication. Never to be forgotten, however, is the need for that simple and time-tested tool to support the patient: communication.

- Joe Prosser, M.D., vice president and chief quality officer