Patient and Family Day at the NPSF Annual Congress

The folks at the National Patient Safety Foundation have asked that we circulate the announcement below. There is a special pre-congress program planned from the patient and family perspective. It promises to be a very interesting program, and we’d like to spread the word virally. As you can see, Linda Kenney is one of the co-chairs. Please feel free to pass it along to anyone or any organization you think may be interested.

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FROM THE PATIENT AND FAMILY PERSPECTIVE

2009 NPSF Annual Patient Safety Congress

Gaylord National -- Washington, DC

Wednesday, May 20, 8:15am-4:30pm

This unique program has been developed to provide perspective and ideas in support of engaging communities in patient safety work. Patient and family representatives will serve as faculty, providing a perspective from this important stakeholder group. For community members who attend, the day will provide information they need to return home and be better able to work with their communities’ health care systems, as members of hospital committees, volunteers in health care organizations and advocates for better partnerships. For health care providers, this unique day will provide an opportunity to learn directly from patient and family representatives who will teach sections of the course using the techniques they have found useful in their communities, as well as other faculty who will share community-based initiatives that have successfully created positive engagement and improved partnering opportunities in order to improve patient safety.
• • •

FACULTY
Beverley H. Johnson, President & CEO, Institute for Family-Centered Care

Linda K. Kenney, President, Medically Induced Trauma Support Services, Board of Directors, NPSF

Ilene Corina, PULSE of NY, Inc., Board of Governors, NPSF

Terrell Smith, MSN, RN, Director, Patient/Family Centered Care, Vanderbilt University Hospital and Clinics

Don McSurley, Council Member, Vanderbilt Hospital Advisory Council, Attendee, Community Engagement Program 2008

Deborah W. Wachenheim, Health Quality Manager, Health Care For All

Lucilia Prates, Consumer Health Quality Council Member, Health Care for All

• • •
AGENDA
Welcome and Introductions
NPSF Board Member

Understanding Patient Safety and the Importance of Partnering with Patients,
Families, Healthcare Organizations and Communities
Beverley Johnson, Linda Kenney

Engaging Communities in Patient Safety: The Patient Advocate Experience
Ilene Corina

Patient and Family Advisors Bring Patient Safety Change to an Organization
Terrell Smith, Don McSurley

Walking Tour of Poster Display

Lunch and The Magic Wand Discussion

Community Organizations as a Catalyst for Change
Deborah W. Wachenheim, Lucilia Prates

Mapping Out a Plan to Bring Home to Mobilize Your Community
Group Exercise, All Faculty, Facilitated by Beverley Johnson and Linda Kenney

Reflections and Lessons Learned from the Day
All Faculty, Facilitated by Beverley Johnson and Linda Kenney


Make Plans Now To Participate in
Community Engagement from the Patient and Family Perspective

Register Today At
http://www.npsf.org/npsfac/r
For More Information
http://www.npsf.org/

Check Out This Week's "Grand Rounds"

Paul Levy, one of our favorite bloggers, is this week's host of Grand Rounds, the weekly rotating carnival of the best of the medical blogosphere. His topic is "when things go awry," and there are some incredibly powerful patient, family, and clinician stories about medical errors highlighted. MITSS's own Linda Kenney's story is also featured. Click here to read the full post.

Have You Heard the One About a Surgical Checklist?

You may have heard through the media about the use of surgical checklists as one way of making operating rooms safer. IHI (the Institute for Healthcare Improvement) and the WHO (World Health Organization) are working hard on getting US hospitals to test these checklists. Click here for more information.

If you, a family member, or someone you know has brought this to the attention of your doctor, nurse, or hospital administration and received a positive response, we'd like to know about it! Send us a message on Facebook or call us at (617) 232-0090. Get involved in your healthcare -- we'd love to hear from you.

Support Services Are So Important

Below is a link to another horrific story surrounding medical error. It is also another example of why support services for patients, families and clinicians are so crucial following these events.

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=4318168

MITSS Announces Second Annual HOPE Award

In honor of National Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 8th through the 14th, 2009), MITSS is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for the Second Annual MITSS HOPE Award.

The HOPE Award was established in 2008 to recognize people -- patients, families, healthcare providers, hospitals (or teams or departments therein), academic institutions, community health centers, grass roots organizations, EAP programs, etc. -- who exemplify the mission of MITSS: Supporting Healing and Restoring Hope to patients, families, and clinicians impacted by adverse medical events. The winner of the Award will receive a $5,000 cash prize to continue their work.

Nominations are due by September 14, 2009. The Award will be presented at the MITSS 8th Annual Dinner and Fundraiser to be held at the Boston Marriott Copley Place Hotel on Thursday, November 12th, 2009, from 5:30 to 10 pm.

Take this opportunity to nominate someone who is doing great work! Also note that self-nominations will be accepted. For eligiblity criteria and submission requirements, click here. If you would like more information, check our website; call Winnie Tobin at (617) 232-0090 or e-mail wtobin@mitss.org; or, mail us at MITSS, 830 Boylston Street, Suite 206, Boston, MA, 02467.

Tips from ABC News on Surviving a Hospital Stay

Linda Kenney's battle with a hospital acquired infection following ankle surgery is chronicled in an online ABC news story. The article also includes some helpful tips for being an "informed patient." Check it out at http://abcnews.go.com/Health/WellnessNews/story?id=6999952&page=1.

NPSF Announces Scholarship Opportunities for Annual Congress

This is a wonderful opportunity for a patient or family member who would like to attend the NPSF Annual Congress this May in Washington, DC:

The National Patient Safety Foundation recognizes the importance of involving patients and their families as partners in our work to create safer healthcare environments. NPSF has developed a scholarship fund that will support the participation of patients and families at the 2009 Annual NPSF Patient Safety Congress to be held May 20 – 22 in the Washington DC area. The scholarship award recipient will receive:

* Roundtrip airfare to Washington DC from anywhere in the United States, arranged by NPSF* Transportation to and from the airport, arranged by NPSF* Complimentary Congress registration* Complimentary registration for the pre-Congress program: Community Engagement from the Patient and Family Perspective* Complimentary hotel accommodations for the nights of May 19 through May 21 (up to 3 nights)* Meals provided as part of the Congress

Scholarship Guidelines and Application Process:

In order to support patients and families who are actively engaged in the patient safety movement, we request a 250-word essay that describes how you and your community will benefit by your attendance at the NPSF Congress.

We are seeking responses to the following questions:* How did you become involved in patient safety?* How long have you been involved with patient safety?* What do you hope to learn at the NPSF Congress and with whom will you share this knowledge?* How do you to plan to disseminate this information throughout your community?

We also request a brief letter of reference that addresses the following questions:* In what capacity do you know the applicant?* How has the applicant demonstrated a value in patient safety work?

Please include your name, address, telephone and email information in the application. Please email your application to:
Christy Norcross, CMP
cnorcross@npsf.org

The deadline for entries is March 23, 2009. For additional Congress information, please visit http://www.npsf.org/npsfac/ or call 617-391-9900.