Engaging The Patient

Geri Baumblatt, Engaging the Patient Podcast Host

In the news, patient safety is often  a dramatic issue.  Infected blood products and a stray surgical instrument that shows up on a post-op x-ray make for riveting and disconcerting reads. But addressing the problem calls for better communication on all sides and attention to even the most mundane details patient after patient, day after day.

Even well-intentioned suggestions can lead to unintended consequences. We can all agree that wrong-site surgeries are needless and tragic. But ensuring that this never happens is not as simple as it would seem. In the past, patient advocates suggested patients themselves write on the body part (say a knee) to be operated on. But these marks weren’t consistent. Did ‘X’ mark the spot? Or did ‘X’ mark the knee to be avoided? What if the markings were smudged? And the marker itself can increase the risk of infection.

Organizations now advise surgeons to initial or “sign” the surgical site. But this came after a process of trying other approaches like arrows or writing “Yes.”

In the coming days, we’ll hear from some of the country’s leading patient safety voices. They’ll address the evolving state of patient safety in America and provide real-world advice for both patients and those trying to improve patient care.

We’ll kick off on Monday with Diane Pinakiewicz, President of the National Patient Safety Foundation. Diane will discuss how healthcare organizations can include the patient’s voice in all sorts of process improvements.

On Tuesday, we’ll hear from Dr. Stephen Lawless, Vice President for Quality and Safety at Nemours. Stephen is also an intensive care pediatrician. He’ll provide tangible advice on how to ensure your child gets the best and safest care in the hospital.

Thursday, Dr. Jonathan Waters will join us. Jonathan is the Chief of Anesthesia at Magee Women’s hospital of UPMC. He’ll discuss common and dangerous misconceptions about blood products and explain how he answers when patients tell him they, “just don’t want to be aware of anything, period.”

Finally, on Friday we’ll speak with Dr. Steven Kmucha—a practicing otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose &Throat). Steven has become a vocal patient safety advocate and his views on safety have significantly altered the way he interacts with his patients.

As you follow this series, please chime in, make comments, ask questions, link to helpful tools. Our goal is to keep the conversation going and to create a place where people can find resources.

About Geri Lynn Baumblatt

As Editorial Director of Emmi Solutions, Geri looks at healthcare from the patient’s perspective. She helps patients understand complicated medical information so they can take safer, more active roles in their care. Her work includes numerous awards for innovation in patient communication– including the 2007 IHA Health Literacy Award. Geri is also the Engaging the Patient podcast host. Check in next week for her interviews of leading patient safety thought leaders as we celebrate National Patient Safety Awareness Week.