March 6, 2008

Safeguarding Patients: Mercy Has Proven Reputation for Patient Safety

The healthcare professionals at Mercy Medical Center—Sioux City attribute many factors to the hospital’s nationally and regionally recognized clinical outcomes.

At first glance, physicians, nurses and modern technology might deserve a lot of the credit. However, along with their expertise and the latest medical tools, the hospital’s active role in the promotion of patient safety has also helped Mercy achieve world-class outcomes for its patients.

In observing Patient Safety Awareness Week, Mercy once again calls attention to its continuing efforts to promote the importance of a safe environment of care where medical errors will not take place.

“We are committed to delivering care of the highest quality in the safest possible manner,” says Dr. Larry Sellers, the hospital’s chief medical officer. “Ensuring patient safety is a team effort. Physicians, nurses, and other professionals in virtually every department work together to make every patient’s stay as safe as possible.”

“A number of initiatives during the past several years have certainly contributed to Mercy’s exemplary outcomes in patient safety,” Sellers continued. “We were the first hospital in the region to implement a Rapid Response Team, a special patient care team that can be called into action to assess a hospitalized patient who has had a significant change in clinical condition while on a non-ICU medical or surgical floor in the hospital.”

Mercy’s transition in 2005 to a paperless, electronic health record system that makes use of leading-edge technology and best practices, has also helped enhance patient safety with the implementation of computerized physician order entry, and an adverse drug event alert system.

Dr. Sellers says Mercy’s overall program for patient safety is comprehensive and thorough. Staff members adhere to literally hundreds of policies and safeguards — all designed with the patient’s best interest in mind. And, he says the process of improving patient safety is continually evolving.

Because current research indicates that patients who are involved in their own care or the care of a family member yield better results, Mercy recognizes that patients and their families are an integral part of the healthcare team.

“Good communication is very important,” explains Chris Kelly, Patient Safety and Risk Manager. “Patients and their families are encouraged to ask questions regarding their care and their medications. We encourage them to ask about care options and the consequences of care decisions. Before they leave the hospital, we would encourage them to ask questions about their discharge instructions and follow-up care.”

Patients can help ensure their own safety and well being by telling their healthcare provider about their health history and any allergies they might have, and by keeping an up-to-date medication card.

Two years ago, Mercy launched a campaign that seeks to enhance patient safety by centering on medication reconciliation, a process of identifying and comparing the most accurate list of a patient’s current medications to the new medications that physicians might order during admission to, transfer within, or discharge from the hospital.

Patient safety advocates at Mercy say the key to the reconciliation process is an accurate, up-to-date medication card carried by the patient.

“Patients should also never be embarrassed to ask questions or seek assistance,” she explains. “We want to engage our patients as partners in the process of delivering good care.”
Last year, Mercy Medical Center joined the Institute for Healthcare Improvement’s 5 Million Lives Campaign, a national effort that seeks to dramatically reduce incidents of medical harm in U.S. hospitals.

The 5 Million Lives Campaign asks hospitals to improve the care they provide in order to protect patients from five million incidents of medical harm over a 24-month period, ending Dec. 9, 2008. It represents a continuation of the largest improvement effort undertaken in recent history by the healthcare industry.

“Our well established patient safety record notwithstanding, we are dedicated to making a safe hospital like Mercy even safer – a great hospital even better,” Sellers adds. “Mercy’s patients continue to benefit from innovations intended to promote improved safety. After all, that is precisely the kind of quality care they deserve.”