No room for complacency: Doing more for patient safety

I've had significant encounters with the US healthcare system over several years, since a close friend was initially diagnosed and hospitalized with a life threatening disease. I won't go into the details of that illness other than to say that it involved many prolonged stays in intensive care environments in multiple capable institutions, followed by a long, complex, and ultimately successful convalescent period. All in all, I was impressed at the time with the quality of care they received and with the amount of evidence-based practice that was incorporated into the care.

Accompanying my friend to a series of follow up appointments at one institution recently was, as always, a rewarding experience. They are doing very well in the aftermath of their illness and treatment, and the professionalism and warmth of the original caregivers continues to be evident as the years go by. Between appointments that day I reflected on how the clinic rooms had changed over the years. They were still the same bright colors. They were still spotless. They still had sinks and motion-detection towel dispensers, and they still had alcohol-based hand rub bottles at the doorway. Every last healthcare provider on the visit, as always, utilized correct hand hygiene practice before each and every procedure, and providers asked for name, DOB, and other relevant information.

The thing that struck me as new, however, were posters, buttons, and reminders everywhere regarding patient safety. Five years ago, there was the usual painting or informational poster on walls in examining rooms and common areas. They served to inform the patient and also to break up the sheer monotony of the healthcare experience. Today, in addition to those, interventional wall coverings grace the rooms and doors. They are colorful and efficient at delivering information to patient and HCW alike. They address hand hygiene and other facets of patient safety in constructive and actionable ways.

It's nice to see, especially in an institution that is a leader in quality of care to begin with. In my friend's case, the quality of care was high at all hospitals where they stayed, though the push to improve safety wasn't as outwardly visible at one of them. I wonder how meaningful safety metrics (e.g., changes in the incidence of HAI or dosing errors within the same patient population -- as opposed to the aggregate data usually available online -- over time) would compare between institutions with similar campaigns?

(image source: CDC)