American College of Surgeons

Four Critical Elements of an Effective Quality Improvement Process

By Clifford Ko, MD, MSHS

More than a decade since the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) landmark To Err Is Human report put a spotlight on quality improvement and patient safety, there has been little reduction in the rate of adverse events, according to The New England Journal of Medicine (2010).

Stories of Success!

Case Studies Show Health IT Improves Safety and Quality

By Jonathan French and Patricia A. Johnson, MAT

The Stories of Success! Project is focused on two goals: the first, to solicit case studies demonstrating how healthcare information technology (IT) is leveraged in support of the National Quality Strategy, the development of which was required by the Accountable Care Act (ACA), the Partnership for Patients Goals (PfP), the National Priorities Partnership (NPP) recommendations for national focus and The Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals (NPSG) and the second, the use of the Standards for Quality Improvement Reporting Excellence (SQUIRE) to submit case study reports.

Preventing Falls: The A-B-C Approach

By Tom Inglesby

Little kids play at falling down. When people are a bit older, falling is avoided—unless they are into tumbling or martial arts! And once they reach the level of senior citizen, falling becomes potentially fatal. According to a literature review by Clyburn and Heydemann (2011), statistics show that falls are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries to older people in the United States. Each year, more than 11 million people 65 and older suffer falls.

Virtual Patient Platforms

By James B. McGee, MD

Clinical decision-making skills are among the most valuable assets healthcare professionals possess, but they are also one of the hardest aspects of medicine to teach, learn, and hone. For most caregivers, gaining the skills and experience they need comes from interaction with actual patients, and this approach requires healthcare professionals to strike a delicate balance—one where educational needs are carefully weighed against potential safety issues, and time spent in real-world settings is preceded by countless hours of classroom preparation and instruction. 

Reporting adverse events is part of the culture at Newton-Wellesley Hospital (NWH). NWH implemented an electronic incident reporting system in 2006. Reporting safety events in an electronic system gives the organization the real-time information it needs to mitigate risks. It also helps the hospital’s risk management staff focus on patient safety improvement strategies that help drive organizational change.

Alarm Fatigue Hazards: The Sirens Are Calling

By James Welch

Nurses often compare their patient care environments to a casino or carnival; a cacophony of sounds and little distinction of where these sirens originate and what they mean. Clinicians cope by turning alarms down or off to create a more tolerable environment for themselves and their patients. Unfortunately, all too often this results in harm to the patient.