Blog II: Understanding How to Manage Patient Safety Issues and Reports

https://www.caregiverchampionadvocate.com/what-does-a-patient-advocate-actually-do/

      How can you help with patient safety issues? Many organizations have found that there are unquiet ways to assist in managing how to report and ensure patient safety is conducted within the healthcare environment, however, the most impactful way patient safety events are prevented is through patient advocacy through family and caregivers. Patient advocacy is defined by the Institute of Health Improvement as an individual or group of individuals that are supporters, sponsors, or assistance in the welfare of a client (Plantemoli, 2021). These individuals are usually the patient's spouses, children, extended family, and or power of attorney, however, there are specific organizations that assist in the welfare of vulnerable individuals, such as children, the elderly, and patients with disabilities that support to ensure that their care is both safe and without harm (Plantemoli, 2021). 

      Facilities have an ambiguous objection to advocates, with many both assisting the care of patients and also possibly being barriers to staff (Plantemoli, 2021). It is a duty that these facilities use advocates as a way to assist in preventing safety issues and reports. Many healthcare leaders have found that patient advocates and family members are a way to assist in both education and in an investigation of how to manage safety issues (Pichert et al,, 2008). A way that has assisted healthcare organizations is through patient compliant files, these are files made by patients and advocates regarding care to a particular provider or healthcare system, they are provided through surveys after discharge or within rounds with nursing staff (Pichert et al., 2008). The reports are collected and with a high influx of reports occurring from a single patient or after multiple visits, then hospital leaders create an investigation to assist in understanding the causality of the complaints (Pichert et al., 2008). It is a way to manage potential patient safety issues that might not be reported by staff, these reports also prompt a red flag for nursing and providers if any issues are occurring within their practice (Pichert et al., 2008). 

       Another way for patient safety to be mange is through family-centered rounds, this is an action performed by both the healthcare organization and patient advocates to create consistent communication within a patient that is vulnerable to a safety issue or has had a safety issue (AHRQ, 2020). The design was first created for children with parents in engaging care that was mutually agreed upon. It expanded to include all patients and families and focuses on how healthcare can meet the needs of both the patient and families who want the best for the client (AHRQ, 2020). Orchestrating this is not hard, simply asking the provider or nurse to set up meetings along with rounds that both accommodate the time of the staff and patient advocate (AHRQ, 2020). Creating a way to communicate any issues and assist in potential safety concerns that might not be reported. 

       Lastly, a great way for managing patient safety and reporting is through patient safety auditing, this is done by healthcare leaders, specifically informatic trained quality and effectiveness nurses that review patient charts, surveys, and professional practice and determined the likelihood or probability of a patient event to occur (Hanskamp-Sebregts et al., 2019). Many of these nurses view units and physician offices and make suggestions to areas where there is a potential risk for patient safety issues, they also study how frequent safety monitoring is measured  (Hanskamp-Sebregts et al., 2019). They work with the family to ensure if an event occurred, interventions are being made to prevent it from reoccurring again during the hospital stay. 

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/The-Relationship-Between-Perceptions-of-Patient-and-Dicuccio/e26b637aa529331dacadc10e36ede0288bd6d1b4

       Patient safety must be a continuous endeavor that is conducted by both healthcare organizations and patient advocates, we cannot stop making sure that patient safety is being done and being reported. Through patient advocacy, engaging communication with providers and nurses to create family-centered rounds, and patient safety auditing, we can properly manage how patient safety is reported and is not missed by healthcare institutions.

                                            You and Your family's safety matters.  

Resources and Websites for More Information: 

 AHRQ – Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Quality and Safety

• .https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/patients-families/engagingfamilies/index.html
• • Greater National Advocates- Caring Professionals Ready to Help.  https://www.gnanow.org/
  • CHPSO-A Division of Healthcare Quality https://www.chpso.org
  • Family Centered Rounding. https://www.hipxchange.org/sites/default/files/styles/portfolio-thumbnail/public/portfolio/HIP%20Model.jpg?itok=98dD3FuP 

• References 

AHRQ.(2021).Guide to patient and family engagement in hospital quality and safety. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. https://www.ahrq.gov/patient-safety/patients-families/engagingfamilies/index.html.

Hanskamp-Sebregts M, Zegers M, Westert GP, Boeijen W, Teerenstra S, van Gurp PJ, Wollersheim H. (2019) Effects of patient safety auditing in hospital care: results of a mixed-method evaluation (part 1). Int J Qual Health Care. 2019 Aug 1;31(7):8-15. doi: 10.1093/intqhc/mzy134. PMID: 29912469; PMCID: PMC6839373.

Pichert JW, Hickson G, Moore I. Using Patient Complaints to Promote Patient Safety. In: Henriksen K, Battles JB, Keyes MA, et al., editors. Advances in Patient Safety: New Directions and Alternative Approaches (Vol. 2: Culture and Redesign). Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2008 Aug. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK43703/

Plantemoli, L. (2021). The Patient Advocate Role and Patient Safety. Health Links Advocates. https://www.healthlinkadvocates.com/2021/3/20/patient-advocate-role-and-safety