Cultivating Patient Safety and Growing Awareness

Photo By Douglas Stutz | Spring has almost sprung, and cultivating patient safety is a growing part of the seasonal change. As such, Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) is showcasing Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 14-20, 2021, as an annual educational and awareness campaign for healthcare safety supported by Military Health System commands like NHB, in conjunction with the National Patient Safety Foundation.  

BREMERTON, WA, UNITED STATES

03.19.2021

Story by Douglas Stutz    

Naval Hospital Bremerton/Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton

Spring has almost sprung, and cultivating patient safety is a growing part of the seasonal change.

Naval Hospital Bremerton (NHB) is showcasing Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 14-20, 2021, an annual educational and awareness campaign for healthcare safety supported by Military Health System commands like NHB, in conjunction with the National Patient Safety Foundation.

“Everyone in the health care process plays a role in delivering safe care. By uniting together and sharing that common goal, we can make a difference in patient safety,” said Ms. Mayda Schaefer, Patient Safety Manager, and architect of the command’s colorful display prominently exhibited on the quarterdeck to bring awareness to all staff, patients and visitors.

The 2021 Patient Safety Goals include such topics as patient identification by using full name and date of birth; medication safety by labeling all medications; safety risks such as identifying those with suicide risk; communicating critical results in a timely manner; and infection prevention.

From the surgical suite to out-patient pharmacy, Patient Safety Awareness Week also highlights critical measures that are there for obvious reasons.

Consider wrong-site surgery, notes Schaefer, where a procedure is done on an incorrect person, body part or procedure. It’s rare and completely preventable, yet can still happen. There is universal protocol in place – part of the National Patient Safety Goals – with important prevention steps such as conducting a pre-procedure verification process, marking the procedure site and conducting a time-out before the actual procedure is performed.

A medication error is when a patient receives the wrong medication, or when they receive the right medication, but in the wrong dose or improper manner. Improving the safety of using medications is a current National Patient Safety goal.

“Our staff care about our patients and follow strict processes to ensure they get the correct medication and dose in the correct manner,” stated Schaefer, adding that if any patient has any questions or concerns about their medication(s), to ask their health care provider or pharmacist for clarification.

The ongoing pandemic has also heightened patient safety awareness concerns, such the crucial need to stop the spread of germs. Along with social distancing protocol, vaccination efforts and mandatory mask wearing to help stop the spread of COVID-19, other notable tactics advocated are to avoid close contact with people who might be at risk; cover a cough or sneeze with tissue, then immediately discard in a proper receptacle; avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth; and clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

“Most importantly to help stop the spread of germs, wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer often and get your vaccination,” noted Schaefer.

Schaefer also pointed out that Patient Safety Awareness Week promotes steps which patients themselves can implement during any appointment and visit. There’s a trio of questions which a patient can ask which makes them become an active member of their health care team. The three basic inquiries are, ‘what is my main problem, what do I need to do, and why is it important for me to do this?’

Additionally, there’s more tips that every patient can implement to be an active member of their healthcare team. They should ask the provider about sign and symptoms to be aware of; request the provider to explain all treatment options; and always follow up with the provider about test results. Don’t assume that ‘no news is good news.’

The DoD electronic health record MHS GENESIS allows those enrolled in the Patient Portal to timely exchange secure messages with their provider and health care team, view notes from clinical visits and specific lab results, and view personal health information.

“The MHS (GENESIS) Patient Portal is the safest and most efficient way for patients to contact the clinic,” said Capt. Michael Mercado, Naval Hospital Bremerton director of Medical Services department.

Beneficiaries can visit the official site at https://patientportal.mhsgenesis.health.mil and once there, use one of the three options to logon: Department of Defense Self-Service Logon; Common Access Card; or Defense Finance and Accounting Service login.

There is however one specific stipulation for patients to use the system.

“The caveat is that they have to have been seen at Naval Hospital Bremerton for the portal to be created, but once seen, they should be good to go to be able to sign into the portal,” explained Mr. Kelly Gann, Defense Health Agency health informatics site integrator at NHB.

According to Schaefer the purpose of the National Patient Safety Goals is to promote specific improvements in patient safety. The goals focus on problem areas in health care safety and how to solve them, following the format which The Joint Commission originally approved in 2002. As a result, all Joint Commission accredited health care organizations such as NMRTC Bremerton are surveyed for implementation of the goals and requirements, which are decided upon from any number of recommendations. Each year, previous goals get evaluated by the Sentinel Event Advisory Group, a panel comprised of highly-reputable patient safety experts. Once convened, they offer new suggestions and the goals are updated or modified.

Note: An independent, not-for-profit organization, The Joint Commission accredits and certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. Joint Commission accreditation and certification is recognized nationwide as a symbol of quality that reflects an organization's commitment to meeting certain performance standards.

• Date Taken: 03.19.2021
• Date Posted: 03.19.2021 09:41
• Story ID: 391826
• Location: BREMERTON, WA, US