Perspectives on Patient Safety Blog

The Perspectives on Patient Safety Blog features news and insight from Jim Parker, Senior Editor of The Joint Commission Perspectives on Patient Safety newsletter, and also provides readers with a free, online forum for readers to discuss all aspects of patient safety, including the National Patient Safety Goals, involving patients in their own care, health care provider communication, infection control, and other pressing patient safety issues.

Patient Safety Awareness Week

• 3/10/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 61 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

This is Patient Safety Awareness Week, an annual observance designed to raise awareness of patient safety issues in the United States. This year’s theme underscores the critical importance of communication in providing quality health care: “Let’s Talk: Healthy Conversations for Safer Health Care.” Without quality communication, even the most perfectly executed technical skills and most advance... more >>

Nomination Season Begins for 2010 Eisenberg Awards

• 3/3/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 93 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

The Joint Commission is now accepting nominations for the 2010 John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. Award submissions will be due at The Joint Commission by close of business April 12, 2010. The Eisenberg Awards recognize major achievements of individuals and organizations in improving patient safety and health care quality. The Joint Commission a... more >>

Educate Patients about Dangerous Drug Interactions

• 2/11/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 1168 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

In late January the Associated Press and other media outlets reported that 13 hospitals in California were fined for patient safety violations by that state’s Department of Public Health. Each fine was in excess of $25,000. The most frequently occurring violations, nearly 30% of the total, involved medication errors.   Although not every adverse event will receive the media coverage garn... more >>

New Sentinel Event Alert

• 1/29/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 1899 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Be sure to read the new Sentinel Event Alert on preventing death during or after pregnancy, released by The Joint Commission on January 26. Published for Joint Commission accredited organizations and interested health care professionals, Sentinel Event Alert identifies specific sentinel events, describes their common underlying causes, and suggests steps to prevent future occurrences. Th... more >>

Look for our Special Vaccination Issue!

• 1/19/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 2341 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

The February issue of Perspectives on Patient Safety is our Special Vaccination Issue.   The issue includes an article about JCR’s successful Flu Vaccination Challenge, which promotes influenza vaccination among health care workers. (See my previous blog  for more details.)   The issue also features a discussion with Kristin L. Nichol, M.D., M.P.H., M.B.A.,... more >>

Happy New Year, readers!

• 1/6/2010
• Author: Jim Parker
• 3026 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

This time of year is one of reflection and re-evaluation for many people. This reflection often culminates in a new year’s resolution.  Many of these resolutions deal with health: losing weight, eating healthier, quitting smoking, getting more exercise, getting regular medical and dental check-ups and so forth.     Health care providers also make resolutions, and being who you are, you a... more >>

Remember: National Patient Safety Goals Become Effective January 1!

• 12/17/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 4143 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Year’s end is approaching and in a few short weeks the 2010 National Patient Safety Goals will become effective!  Remember that if you have questions or concerns about how to interpret the goals, you can contact The Joint Commission’s Standards Interpretation Group (SIG) for help. Contact SIG at 630-792-5900, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (Central time).    You can also contact SIG by using this... more >>

JCR’s 2009-2010 Flu Vaccination Challenge Gaining Momentum

• 12/10/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 4469 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Flu season is now in full bloom and I hope all our readers are weathering the storm, both in their roles as health care providers and as potential patients!    Of course, the most effective way to ensure that you, your patients, and your families are safe from influenza is to be vaccinated. Joint Commission standards require accredited hospitals, critical access hospitals, and long term care o... more >>

Joint Commission Launches Center for Transforming Healthcare

• 9/10/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 9974 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Most health care organizations have come to recognize that medical errors are most often the result of a breakdown in a system.  In many cases, several system failures contribute to a single incident of patient harm. Along the way in those cases, multiple opportunities are missed for someone to notice the breakdown and prevent the error.   To address patient safety problems at their root... more >>

Get Your Flu Shot!

• 8/25/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 10588 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Autumn is approaching. While many in the United States are bracing themselves for chilly winds and leaf raking, some are bracing themselves for what many experts say will be a particularly nasty flu season.   Part of the concern over this year’s influenza season is related to 2008-2009 H1N1 virus. H1N1 wrecked havoc in some locales, leading to closings of schools and businesses. To date, more ... more >>

Speak Up!

• 8/6/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 11335 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Greetings readers!   Let me suggest to you a new and interesting resource that The Joint Commission is offering to your patients through its Speak Up!™ program. The newest offering from the Speak Up! Campaign is designed to help parents made better decisions regarding their children’s health care.   The new brochure is available in both English and Spanish.   The new brochure offers parents... more >>

New MDRO Resource

• 7/8/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 12628 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

Joint Commission Resources is offering a new free resource to help combat a serious patient safety threat: multidrug–resistant organisms (MDROs).   The new toolkit What Every Health Care Executive Should Know: The Cost of Antibiotic Resistance, is available for free download here.   The Joint Commission’s National Patient Safety Goal 07.03.01 requires accredited organizations to implement best pra... more >>

Stop on by!

• 6/18/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 13376 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

I am interested in knowing which of our readers will be attending The Joint Commission Annual Conference in September. I plan to be there all three days, September 14–16, at the JCR Publications booth and in the sessions, and I hope to meet some of you face to face. The conference has an exciting line-up of speakers this year, including Joint Commission President Mark Chassin, M.D.; Robert... more >>

The Cost of Cutting Corners: A Pound of Flesh?

• 6/17/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 12904 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

In a past life I did a great deal of reporting on occupational safety and transportation safety. During that time it became apparent to me that many people viewed safety measures as an expense, draining money away from their personal or organizational bottom lines.   What the data revealed, time after time, was that investing in safety was actually a cost saving measure. The cost of injuries and i... more >>

Organizations Share Their Stories

• 6/3/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 13636 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

We are wrapping up the July issue of Joint Commission Perspectives on Patient Safety in the next few days. I am excited about this issue because it includes two case studies of exemplary organizations that have made great strides in improving the safety of their patients.    •   Baptist Health Home Health Network is a multisite home health and hospice agency that serves 800 patients in the state o... more >>

Celebrate National Nurses Week!

• 5/12/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 14610 Views
• 0 Comments
• Read More

This week represents the nation’s annual “shout out” to the backbone of our health care system:  Nurses.    National Nurses Week is celebrated each year from May 6 (National Nurses Day) to May 12 (Florence Nightingale’s birthday). Sponsored by the American Nurses Association, the theme for this year’s observance is “Nurses: Building a Healthy America.” The theme focuses on the issues of nation... more >>

Perspectives on Patient Safety Gets a New Look!

• 5/8/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 15143 Views
• 2 Comments
• Read More

“And now for something completely different.”   Your friendly neighborhood Perspectives on Patient Safety staff are pleased to unveil the newsletter’s new look. Designed by our trusty project manager, Bridget Chambers, we think the new design not only looks smashing, but also enhances readability. Check out the new design in your June issue, which is heading your ... more >>

So .. how can I help you?

• 4/9/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 16640 Views
• 2 Comments
• Read More

Every morning … the same ritual.   I wake up, brush my teeth, don my wizard’s cap and stroll to the deepest dungeon where I gaze into my Pool of Immortal Mystery, which shows me all pressing patient safety issues of the day.   OK, so it’s more like seven cups of coffee, a stack of media reports, checking in with the editorial advisory board, some tea, reading medical journals and press release... more >>

The Score on Med Rec.

• 3/25/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 17683 Views
• 1 Comments
• Read More

Greetings!   The word is on the street:  For the remainder of 2009, Joint Commission surveyors will not be scoring National Patient Safety Goal 8, which addresses medication reconciliation.   During 2009, The Joint Commission is reviewing the goal language with a fine-tooth comb to ensure maximum clarity; they are consulting health care organizations, physicians, pharmacists, nu... more >>

The Potato Incident: Lessons Learned

• 3/17/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 18258 Views
• 5 Comments
• Read More

Greetings!   A recent experience I had with a health care organization got me thinking about infection control, leadership, patient empowerment, and the importance of a collaborative work environment.   It all began with a potato.   The humble tuber’s time had come.  My family and I were going to eat it.   But this potato would not go gently into that good night.  In the a... more >>

Patient Safety Week Blogs: Day 5, Health Care Worker Fatigue

• 3/9/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 18755 Views
• 11 Comments
• Read More

Greetings! Happy National Patient Safety Awareness Week! I'll be writing a new blog every day of this week, discussing a different patient safety topic. The fifth topic in this series is "Health Care Worker Fatigue." Listen carefully, clinicians, because I am only going to say this once:  My job... more >>

Patient Safety Week Blogs: Day 4, Patient Involvement

• 3/9/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 19784 Views
• 2 Comments
• Read More

Greetings!Happy National Patient Safety Awareness Week! I’ll be writing a new blog every day of this week, discussing a different patient safety topic. The fourth topic in this series is “Involving Patients in Their Own Care.”As I pondered how I should approach the subject of patients’ involvement in their own care, I had a visitor. A curly-headed friend of mine popped in and announced... more >>

Patient Safety Week Blogs: Day 3, Handoff Communications

• 3/9/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 20845 Views
• 9 Comments
• Read More

Greetings! Happy National Patient Safety Awareness Week! I'll be writing a new blog every day of this week, discussing a different patient safety topic. The third topic in this series is "Handoff Communications."  Sometimes the best way for health care providers to ... more >>

Patient Safety Week Blogs: Day 2, Hand Hygiene

• 3/9/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 18657 Views
• 2 Comments
• Read More

Greetings! Happy National Patient Safety Awareness Week! I’ll be writing a new blog every day of this week, discussing a different patient safety topic. The second topic in this series is “Hand Hygiene.” Attack of the Helping Hand is a 1981 short film starring h... more >>

Patient Safety Week Blogs: Day 1, Safety Culture

• 3/6/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 18794 Views
• 3 Comments
• Read More

Greetings! Happy National Patient Safety Awareness Week! I’ll be writing a new blog every day of this week, discussing a different patient safety topic. The first topic in this series is “Building a Culture of Safety.” Webster’s Dictionary defines “cult... more >>

The Blog is Back!

• 3/5/2009
• Author: Jim Parker
• 18141 Views
• 2 Comments
• Read More

Greetings! It’s been while since this blog was updated, and for that I apologize. The blog was on a brief hiatus while some technical issues were worked out. Those being resolved, I am pleased to tell you that the blog is returning to active duty.  Next week, March 8–14, is National Patient Safety Awareness Week. To cel... more >>

Greetings!

• 12/11/2008
• Author: Jim Parker
• 24164 Views
• 8 Comments
• Read More

My name is Jim Parker. Since March 2006, it’s been my privilege to participate in the sharing of critical patient safety information with the health care community through The Joint Commission’s Perspectives on Patient Safety newsletter.My professional background is in magazine journalism. Prior to joining Joint Commission Resources, I spent seven years covering pre-hospital emergency heal... more >>

More resources for Patient Safety: Current Issue • About • FAQ • Subscribe • Online Access • Contact