2018 Navy Surgeon General's Good Catch Award

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

09.16.2019

Courtesy Story

U.S. Naval Hospital Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan. Patient safety is the responsibility and goal of every member of Navy Medicine.

To be successful in accomplishing that goal command engagement reinforcing a culture of safety by supporting and encouraging the reporting of errors and near misses is a must. Navy Medicine staff must be able to freely express safety concerns.

The Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery (BUMED), in support of this effort has established an annual Navy Medicine "Surgeon General Good Catch Annual Recognition Award". A "Good Catch" represents a near miss, unsafe condition, or error(s) identified early to prevent and/or minimize harm to patients. Therefore enhancing an environment of safety and transparency.

“Please join me in congratulating Hospitalman 3rd Class Christa Brinck as the winner of the 2018 Surgeon General's Good Catch Award! HM3 Brink spoke up and made a huge difference in preventing patient harm, and it went all the way to the Surgeon General, who will be forwarding an award letter and special coin. Thank you as well to each of you for supporting a culture of safety, here and at the branch clinics. BZ HM3 Brink, and well done!” said Capt. Drew Bigby, commanding officer of USNHY, in a command-wide announcement.

Petty Officer Brinck, a radiology technician, called an "all stop" to a process when she identified a potentially harmful event without waiting for higher authority input. Her ability to communicate the importance and reasoning behind the standard operating procedure to the requesting physician was key to a successful outcome for the patient.

"I am just so proud to be a part of BUMED's best Radiology Department of the Year, I'd like to thank HM1 Melo for nominating me for this honor as well as his leadership, dedication and support!", Brinck said.

Petty Officer Brinck engaged her chain of command, and provided the clinical information needed for the duty radiologist to make the appropriate decision on testing methodology. Her efforts averted a possible patient safety event while also ensuring compliance with USNH Yokosuka policy.

Larry Denning, USNHY’s Patient Safety Manager expressed his gratitude for Brinck’s efforts, “I have processed a lot of PSRs (Patient Safety Reporting System) but the professional way HM3 Brink handled a very tough decision -- do the right thing or give in to pressure -- demonstrates what each and every one of us working in the Navy Medicine needs to do daily. She showed her mettle when she did the right thing. She is a leader.”

• Date Taken: 09.16.2019
• Date Posted: 10.04.2019 04:41
• Story ID: 346008
• Location: YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP
• Hometown: YOKOSUKA NAVAL BASE, JP