Patient Safety

Patient- and family-centered care can be defined as health care that establishes a partnership among practitioners, patients and their families, ensuring that care delivery respects patients’ wants, needs and preferences and providing patients with the education and support they need to make decisions and participate in their own care. Patient- and family-centered care is associated with improved clinical outcomes, increased market share and patient loyalty, increased patient safety, and higher employee satisfaction.

Standardized Overhead/Emergency Codes

Lessons learned from recent disasters show that the resources and talent of our health care system may have to be shared, and staff could potentially be sent to other communities and regions of the nation. As these people move from facility to facility, codes that trigger emergency protective and response steps should be standardized to help insure quick action. Our goal is to have standardized overhead/emergency codes in all Kansas community hospitals no later than January 1, 2010. For more information, Contact Dan Leong. A toolkit is available, and the following resources also can be customized: 

• Standardized Emergency Codes - Tools and Resources - Toolkit
• Badge Buddy Order Form - standard and customizable badges
• Emergency Code PowerPoint Presentation - for staff training
• Sample Policy and Procedure - Word
• Model Letter - Word
• Employee Newsletter Article - Word
• Staff Poster - Word
• Staff Sign-In Sheet and Staff Competency Checklist - Word

Color-Coded Wristband Standardization

As of January 1, 2009, KHA member hospitals adopted a wristband standardization program which uses three specific colors on patient wrist bands to identify a patient’s care status. The colors were chosen based on a nationwide initiative to standardize patient wrist bands and include the use of yellow for fall risk, red for allergy and purple for "Do Not Resuscitate." This initiative also allows hospitals the option to use two additional colors - pink for limited extremity and green for latex allergy. For a CD of the KHA Wristband Standardization Toolkit, contact Deborah Stern or use an order form.

• Wristband Standardization Toolkit
• Wristband Vendors
• Wristband Standardization Policy and Procedure
• Wristband Standardization PowerPoint Presentation
• Wristband Standardization Patient Refusal Form
• Staff Education Brochure on Wristbands
• Patient Safety Brochure on Wristbands

Infection Prevention: Hand Hygiene Manual

The Quality and Patient Safety Technical Advisory Group, working together with infection control professionals across the state, has developed the Kansas Hospital Association Infection Prevention: Hand Hygiene Tools and Resources manual for use by our member hospitals. The goal of the manual (and accompanying CD) is to promote the use of best practices concerning hand hygiene and infection prevention. This comprehensive manual and CD contain sample policies and procedures, brochures, posters, definitions, information on specific organisms and guidelines from national infection prevention and reduction organizations. Most of the materials in the manual can be customized for individual hospitals. If you have any questions, or would like a manual sent to you, contact Deborah Stern or use an order form.

 

For KHA strategies and activities related to quality and patient safety, click on the "issue brief icon" to link to our member-only issue brief.

 

Patient Safety-related Links and Downloads:

• Kansas State Stroke Plan Task Force Patient Discharge Packet and Cover Memo
• Application for Mock Survey Trainee
• Hospital Application for Mock Survey Training
• MRSA Quick Facts
• MRSA Talking Points
• AHA Special Bulletin - Data Deadline Threatens Reimbursement ... Begin Collecting Retroactive Data Now
• JCAHO Safety Goals and Non-compliance Stats
• CDC’s Guidance on Public Reporting of Health Care-Associated Infections
• KHA's Response Regarding Infection Rate Reporting (Final 01/05)
• CDC Influenza Antiviral Guidance
• Quality Advisory from AHA, Association of American Medical Colleges and Federation of American Hospitals
• KHA Quality Measures Matrix
• www.medpathways.info
• Patient Safety and Public Confidence
• 5 Million Lives Campaign

Questions regarding patient safety issues can be addressed to Deborah Stern via e-mail, or by calling the KHA office at (785) 233-7436.