Despite the growing emphasis on and sophistication of quality and safety measurements, few measurement systems take into account one of the most important realities of healthcare: All patients are not created equal, even those with the same diagnosis.

As we grapple with how to accommodate the needs of limited English proficient patients, as well as patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, it’s important to consider why prioritizing patient language access is so important and how to do this consistently across a healthcare facility or health system.

Nurses can improve quality and outcomes, enhance an organization’s culture, and build relationships with patients, colleagues, and the community—yet to do so, healthcare leadership needs to see them as more than just a cost center.

First introduced around 2012, the PSH model is a patient-centered, team- and evidence-based effort targeted at improving outcomes and lowering costs. Under the model, the anesthesiologists coordinate closely with nurses, surgeons, and other key players involved in surgical patient care.

The achievements of minimally invasive technology and techniques have been fantastic, and in many ways, we have addressed the above needs. But ask any interventionalist, and you will quickly learn that there are still pain points—limitations—preventing minimally invasive surgery from realizing its full benefits.

Featured in this month’s PSQI Online Spotlight: Patient safety coaches explain how to involve patients in their care decisions.