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In This Issue:
Patient Safety Team Leads the Pack in Improving Safety
As a pace-setter for the very latest in patient safety and error prevention, BWH continues to foster an environment in which clinicians at all levels feel secure in reporting incidences. With the combined efforts of the Patient Safety Team and Risk Management Department, the hospital is well positioned to continually teach staff and launch new initiatives related to error prevention and follow-through.
“Ultimately, our goal is for every staff member to feel empowered to report when things don’t go as planned. And to feel confident that action will occur to prevent the same error from recurring,” said Tejal Gandhi, MD, director, Patient Safety Team. “We want to create a culture in which staff members do not feel as though they will be punished for reporting incidences.”
Most recently, the Patient Safety Team and Risk Management Department have been working with Nursing and the Pharmacy to implement a new web-based reporting system. In its pilot stage, the system will ease the clinician’s role when reporting an incident by making data entry much faster. Currently, all reporting is made via the BICS Incident Reporting System.
Patient safety is a priority throughout the institution, and senior management takes an active role in safety efforts. Each week, one hospital executive participates in patient safety rounds called Executive Walk Rounds, during which front-line staff are encouraged to raise concerns or offer their ideas on how to provide the safest environment possible.
All BWH employees are invited to hear the latest on patient safety progress at a special Town Meeting on October 23 at 11 a.m. in the Bornstein Amphitheater. To pre-submit questions, visit BWH’s intranet site (www.bwhpikenotes.org) or email the Public Affairs Department (bwhbulletin@partners.org).
Please join us for a conversation on Patient Safety with BWH President Gary Gottlieb, MD, MBA, Chief Medical Officer Andy Whittemore, MD, and Chief Operating Officer Matt Van Vranken.
Special BWH Town Meeting on Patient SafetyWednesday, October 2311 a.m.Bornstein Family Amphitheater Along the 2nd floor Pike between exits 5 and 6