Our last blog post referred to how busy we've been getting ready for our Annual Dinner. I am happy to report that this year we are doing something different. We will be videotaping the keynote speakers for the purpose of streaming the video from our website. We hope that those who aren’t able to make our dinner will be able to enjoy the important highlights.
Our keynote speakers are both extremely dynamic change agents in Healthcare. Margaret Murphy from Ireland is a member of the WHO, World Alliance for Patient Safety, Patients for Patient Safety Steering Group. Margaret sees patients and families as a seriously under-used resource. Following the death of her son as a result of medical error, she became actively involved, sharing her family’s experience and engaging positively with healthcare systems and professionals. Her story is one of pain, needless suffering and death, and HOPE!
Paul F. Levy was appointed President and Chief Executive Officer of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston in January 2002. He is the author of numerous articles in a variety of fields and co-author of Negotiating Environmental Agreements (Island Press, 1999). He is author of a blog entitled “Running a Hospital,” and in that regard is one of the very few hospital CEOs to share thoughts publicly about hospitals, medicine, and health care issues.
We will let you know as soon as we have these videos up and running from our site. As always, we will welcome your comments once you’ve had a chance to view.
Linda Kenney
MITSS
Executive Director
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
You may have noticed that this space has been a bit quiet of late. It’s not for lack of things to talk about, issues to sound off on, or news to share. It’s that time of year again – fundraising season. Sometimes it feels like Santa’s Workshop as Christmas Eve nears – staff and volunteers are working furiously as our 7th Annual Dinner and Fundraiser, scheduled for November 6th, draws closer.
It’s never easy to ask for money, but the services that MITSS is able to offer and the number of people that we are able to help are entirely dependent on our doing just that. Times are difficult for everyone this year, but every little bit helps, and we really need your support.
Join us for our 7th Annual Dinner on Thursday, November 6th, 2008, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, from 5:30 to 10 pm. It’s going to be a great event as we feature Paul Levy, President and CEO of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Margaret Murphy, a member of the WHO’s World Alliance for Patient Safety and a mother whose son died due to a medical error, as our keynote speakers. The incomparable Billy Costa of NECN and KISS 108 will be our emcee and preside over a fabulous live auction. For tickets, call Winnie Tobin at (617) 232-0090, e-mail at wtobin@mitss.org, or click here.
Another way to help MITSS is to participate in our 2008 Online Auction. We are going live on Monday, October 20th and will be taking bids through November 3rd. Click here to preview the fantastic items that our wonderful Planning Committee has assembled. Check back often as our catalog will be updated when donations come in. Win an exciting prize while supporting the work of MITSS!!!
We hope to see you on November 6th. Best of luck with your auction bids!
It’s never easy to ask for money, but the services that MITSS is able to offer and the number of people that we are able to help are entirely dependent on our doing just that. Times are difficult for everyone this year, but every little bit helps, and we really need your support.
Join us for our 7th Annual Dinner on Thursday, November 6th, 2008, at the Renaissance Boston Waterfront Hotel, from 5:30 to 10 pm. It’s going to be a great event as we feature Paul Levy, President and CEO of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Margaret Murphy, a member of the WHO’s World Alliance for Patient Safety and a mother whose son died due to a medical error, as our keynote speakers. The incomparable Billy Costa of NECN and KISS 108 will be our emcee and preside over a fabulous live auction. For tickets, call Winnie Tobin at (617) 232-0090, e-mail at wtobin@mitss.org, or click here.
Another way to help MITSS is to participate in our 2008 Online Auction. We are going live on Monday, October 20th and will be taking bids through November 3rd. Click here to preview the fantastic items that our wonderful Planning Committee has assembled. Check back often as our catalog will be updated when donations come in. Win an exciting prize while supporting the work of MITSS!!!
We hope to see you on November 6th. Best of luck with your auction bids!
Friday, October 3, 2008
MITSS ONLINE AUCTION IS READY FOR PREVIEW!!
This year, as part of the MITSS Annual Fundraiser, we have put together an exciting Online Auction. Anyone can participate!!! Preview our Online Auction at cMarket by clicking here! From now until October 20th, check out our fabulous auction prizes.
The actual bidding will go Live on October 20th and be open through November 3rd. We will be adding new items to our catalog, so check back often to see what’s new. Feel free to place a Watch on your favorites so that you’ll know as soon as the bidding begins.
We need your help! By supporting our Annual Dinner and Online Auction, you will be helping to fund the vital work that we do.
The actual bidding will go Live on October 20th and be open through November 3rd. We will be adding new items to our catalog, so check back often to see what’s new. Feel free to place a Watch on your favorites so that you’ll know as soon as the bidding begins.
We need your help! By supporting our Annual Dinner and Online Auction, you will be helping to fund the vital work that we do.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
SCRUBS IN PUBLIC -- A HEALTH HAZARD?
Given Linda's experience over the past year with MRSA (which has been chronicled in this blog -- see post below) in addition to the fact that my 3 year old niece was just diagnosed, I wondered whether or not I was beginning to get "germ phobic."
There was an interesting piece in the NY Times Well Blog yesterday that deals with the issue of wearing scrubs in public places. This is something which I had never given a thought to before -- I've seen medical people wearing scrubs at the supermarket, at the dry cleaners, in the dentist's office, and all those other places that we "regular" people frequent in our daily lives. (I was probably even a little impressed up until now -- especially if they had a stethoscope hung around their neck.) Now, I'm thinking "Typhoid Mary" and looking for the quickest exit!
Seriously, though, this brings up an important point. Are you alarmed when you see someone wearing their scrubs in public? If you're not, should you be?
Winnie Tobin
There was an interesting piece in the NY Times Well Blog yesterday that deals with the issue of wearing scrubs in public places. This is something which I had never given a thought to before -- I've seen medical people wearing scrubs at the supermarket, at the dry cleaners, in the dentist's office, and all those other places that we "regular" people frequent in our daily lives. (I was probably even a little impressed up until now -- especially if they had a stethoscope hung around their neck.) Now, I'm thinking "Typhoid Mary" and looking for the quickest exit!
Seriously, though, this brings up an important point. Are you alarmed when you see someone wearing their scrubs in public? If you're not, should you be?
Winnie Tobin
Sunday, September 21, 2008
IT TAKES A VILLAGE!
Many of you may know that last June I finally had my long awaited ankle replacement surgery. There were a few detours during the healing process. I ended up with a post-op infection, IV antibiotics for six weeks, an open wound that needed dressing twice a day, foot that needed to be elevated during most of that time, and a skin graft. All this took me out of work for about three months. I was then put on oral antibiotics until January. From January until last week, I would get flare-ups of extreme swelling, pain, and redness. My doctor had fluid taken from my ankle a couple of times to make sure the infection was not in the joint. The results from this always came back negative, but the swelling, pain, and redness continued.
Last week, I went to my orthopedic surgeon with the ankle swollen (the worst I had seen yet), painful to the touch, and an angry red color in a certain part. The x-rays didn't show anything -- everything looked great structurally. Together, we made the decision to go in and take out a plate and some screws in the area that was most painful. By the time I went in for surgery on Wednesday (Sept. 10th), I thought my skin would burst from the ankle being so swollen. The screws and plate were removed, but everything else looked good. They took some cultures which didn't show anything. Hopefully, it was just an irritation of the screws and plate with the tissue. Between the ortho doc and the infectious disease (ID) doc, the decision was made to put me on IV antibiotics for at least three weeks. They inserted a pic line and prescribed vancomycin, and then I was discharged. I am also non-weight bearing for a couple of weeks until I get the stitches out.
I have now been at home for a week and a half. I would have been to work sooner if I didn't get hit with the flu in the midst of all this. I realize that what I am going through is so minor compared to what others go through -- after all, I still have my foot, and it's only a few weeks out of my life. It always amazes me, though, how much these recoveries affect everyone. There has been a strain put on my husband, my children, my co-workers, and myself. This is a reality that isn't talked about much when we discuss complications or unanticipated outcomes -- how these setbacks affect so many people!
My family has been doing everything I can't -- all the driving, shopping, cooking, laundry, waiting on me, etc... They don't seem to mind it, as they have actually become used to it over the years. But, I can still see the strain. My co-workers are picking up all the slack at the office, and that adds even more pressure. For me, it's extremely difficult to be so reliant on everyone. As much as I hate to admit this, as I get older, I just don't bounce back as quickly as I used to. For the first few days, I was okay with just healing. Then, I started to get anxious about all the things I needed to do, but I still couldn't focus even if I wanted to. I do realize that what I am going through is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. I know that I am fortunate to have the support of family and friends around me!
We need to start having dialogue around the impact that goes well beyond the patient's physcial recovery following complications, unanticipated outcomes, and medical error. I would love to hear from those of you with similar experiences. I welcome all your comments.
With warm regards,
Linda
Last week, I went to my orthopedic surgeon with the ankle swollen (the worst I had seen yet), painful to the touch, and an angry red color in a certain part. The x-rays didn't show anything -- everything looked great structurally. Together, we made the decision to go in and take out a plate and some screws in the area that was most painful. By the time I went in for surgery on Wednesday (Sept. 10th), I thought my skin would burst from the ankle being so swollen. The screws and plate were removed, but everything else looked good. They took some cultures which didn't show anything. Hopefully, it was just an irritation of the screws and plate with the tissue. Between the ortho doc and the infectious disease (ID) doc, the decision was made to put me on IV antibiotics for at least three weeks. They inserted a pic line and prescribed vancomycin, and then I was discharged. I am also non-weight bearing for a couple of weeks until I get the stitches out.
I have now been at home for a week and a half. I would have been to work sooner if I didn't get hit with the flu in the midst of all this. I realize that what I am going through is so minor compared to what others go through -- after all, I still have my foot, and it's only a few weeks out of my life. It always amazes me, though, how much these recoveries affect everyone. There has been a strain put on my husband, my children, my co-workers, and myself. This is a reality that isn't talked about much when we discuss complications or unanticipated outcomes -- how these setbacks affect so many people!
My family has been doing everything I can't -- all the driving, shopping, cooking, laundry, waiting on me, etc... They don't seem to mind it, as they have actually become used to it over the years. But, I can still see the strain. My co-workers are picking up all the slack at the office, and that adds even more pressure. For me, it's extremely difficult to be so reliant on everyone. As much as I hate to admit this, as I get older, I just don't bounce back as quickly as I used to. For the first few days, I was okay with just healing. Then, I started to get anxious about all the things I needed to do, but I still couldn't focus even if I wanted to. I do realize that what I am going through is pretty minor in the grand scheme of things. I know that I am fortunate to have the support of family and friends around me!
We need to start having dialogue around the impact that goes well beyond the patient's physcial recovery following complications, unanticipated outcomes, and medical error. I would love to hear from those of you with similar experiences. I welcome all your comments.
With warm regards,
Linda
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
CHILDREN AND MEDICAL ERRORS
Medical mistakes can have more serious consequences when they happen to children, according to an article in the Well blog of the New York Times. Various reasons are cited in the piece, and the article does include some important tips from experts for parents to lower the chance their child will be harmed by his or her treatment.
As we've noted on this blog before, things can and do happen even when the patient or family member is well informed. We'd just like to pass along this information as we think it may be useful as a basic guide.
As we've noted on this blog before, things can and do happen even when the patient or family member is well informed. We'd just like to pass along this information as we think it may be useful as a basic guide.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
THE PATIENT IS DOING WELL!
Linda Kenney's surgery went smoothly yesterday afternoon, and she is resting comfortably this morning in her hospital room. Thank you to everyone for their best wishes and prayers!
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