Talking to Patients and Their Families About Patient Safety

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Talking to Patients and Their Families About
Patient Safety

• Ilene Corina, Patient Safety Consultant
  /President PULSE of NY
• www.pulseofny.org
• www.patientsafetyadvocate.org
• www.patientsafetyconsultants.com

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About PULSE

• Founded in 1996
• Grassroots patient safety education and support
• Teaching them what you already know
• Giving a voice to the patient and their family

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Famous Stories

• Dana Carvey Cardiac surgeon bypassed the wrong
  artery
• Julie Andrews Surgery caused permanent
  hoarseness
• Fran Drescher Misdiagnosed - two years and
  eight doctors to get proper diagnosis
• Montel Williams M.S. misdiagnosed for 10 years

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Christopher Reeve

• 10/29/04
• Reeve went into cardiac arrest Saturday at his
  home in Westchester County, New York, after
  developing a serious systemic infection during
  treatment for a pressure wound. He slipped into a
  coma and died Sunday afternoon at a hospital near
  his home. (1)
• (1) www.cnn.com 1/11/04

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Real People Real Stories
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Why Talk to the Patients?

• To reduce medical errors
• To form relationships
• To respond to the media
• To keep staff happy
• To get more business

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Where to Find Patients

• Reach out to
• Breast cancer coalitions
• Diabetes foundations
• Alzheimers foundations
• Mothers groups
• Senior centers
• Libraries
• Ask staff about groups they belong to

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Topics / Objectives FILMS

• Falls
• Infections
• Literacy / Communication
• Medication
• Surgery

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Organize Topics Appropriately

• Breast cancer
• Medication management
• Getting test results
• Communication
• Insurance
• Surgery and infection
• Family advocacy

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Organize Topics Appropriately

• Alzheimers
• Falls
• Advocacy
• HIPAA
• Medication

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Falls

• Medication
• New place
• Dont move the patient without authorization
• Slip proof shoes
• Is patient prone to falls?

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Infections

• Hand washing
• Dont visit with a cold
• Where are the germs?
• What does an infection look like?

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Literacy / Communication

• Who is in charge?
• Where does patient go with concerns?
• Taking notes
• Write down questions before the visit
• Bringing an advocate to the doctor or hospital
• Speaking respectfully but be heard

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Medication safety

• Keep accurate lists
• Allergies
• Ask questions
• Handwriting
• Learn about side effects
• Explain how errors happen
• Look-alike, sound-alike

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Is This What You See?
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Surgery

• 2 forms of ID
• Time out
• Antibiotic before a procedure
• Redness and swelling
• Explain bedsores
• Marking the site

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Richard
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Other Topics to Address

• HIPAA
• Health care proxy
• What is important to YOU!

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Literature

• National Patient Safety Foundation
  http//www.npsf.org/paf
• The Joint Commission
• http//www.jointcommission.org
• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
• http//www.ahrq.gov/consumer/index.htmlprevention
  

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Patient Safety Can be Fun!

• Patient Safety Jeopardy/Password/Trivia
• Use questions and answers from literature
• Give out prizes
• Let audience enjoy themselves
• Use visuals Game board, giveaways

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Ready to play?
Patient Safety Trivia!
Answer a question and win a prize
http//jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
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The Question is
What should a medical person do upon entering
your room in the hospital?
http//jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
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The Question is
Name 3 things you should bring with you to the
doctor?
http//jc-schools.net/tutorials/PPT-games/
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No Equipment No ProblemTips for 200
Tips Medication Infections Communication Surgery
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Know the Audience

• Show up early and ask individuals about
• Expectations
• Experiences
• The group in general (if they know each other)
• Look for participants to call on later

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Comfort Questions (when appropriate)

• Who here works in health care or ever did?
• Who has been an advocate for a family member or
  friend?
• Who keeps a list of medications handy at all
  times?

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Share Your Own Story
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No Open-Ended Questions

• Ask specifics
• Yes - Who has had a bad experience with their
  family as an advocate?
• No - Who wants to share their experience?
• Stay focused
• Yes -Does anyone want to share tips on choosing a
  good advocate that has worked for you?
• No Does anyone want to tell about their
  hospital stay?

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Getting Back on Track

• Thank you for sharing
• Im glad you shared your story
• I have heard of that happening but we cant cover
  each case
• Lets talk later

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Never Ask

• Open-ended questions or
• Where - How - Why

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Sharing Stories

• Dont get trapped!
• Save stories until the end
• Have a sign-up sheet ready
• Have business cards available

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Defend and Deny

• Do not defend medical errors
• Do not deny they happen
• Accept criticism gracefully

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Suspecting a Medical Error

• Who could patients or families turn to?
• Patient Representative
• Nurse Manager
• Director
• CEO
• State, Medical Boards
• Joint Commission

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Tips

• Seniors daytime
• Working families nighttime
• Partner with another speaker
• Feed them and they will come!

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Thank You!

• Ilene Corina, Patient Safety Consultant
• [phone]
• icorina_at_aol.com
• www.PULSEofNY.org
• www.PATIENTSAFETYADVOCATE.org