What We've Been Up To...

Yikes, it has been some time since our last blog post! We have committed one of the cardinal sins of social media -- we have allowed our blog to become stale!

In a sincere effort to rectify this unfortunate situation, and in an attempt to "freshen" our blog, we offer the following. Here are highlights of just some of the things MITSS has been working on of late. (With all of these exciting things going on, it's no wonder we've neglected our blog -- if only for a short time.)

-- MITSS has assembled a "blue ribbon" panel of experts from around the country to develop a tool kit for clinician support. We will be working feverishly over the summer and into the fall, and we expect to have something ready for release by the end of the year.

-- MITSS is bringing together nurse leaders from some of the minority communities and will be hosting an educational workshop slated for late August. Our goal is to find new and better ways to reach underserved populations with the MITSS message and our services. Stay tuned for details as they unfold.

-- We are now accepting nominations for our Third Annual HOPE Award. Go to www.mitsshopeaward.org for a description of the award, eligibility criteria, and a nomination form. Help us to recognize someone who is doing great work aligned with the MITSS mission (including yourself)!

-- Of course, we continue to provide educational support groups for patients and their families. We have one group just about wrapping up at the North Shore Hospital in Salem.

You can do your part, too. Let us know what you'd like to see discussed in this space and how we can better serve you. And, don't forget to check us out on Facebook -- become a fan of MITSS and of the MITSS HOPE Award. We'd love to hear from you!

Our Stories are Different -- Yet the SAME!!

Below is a link to a story written by a friend and colleague of MITSS. It is an extremely powerful story. Click the title to access Babel: The Voices of a Medical Trauma.

For me personally, this story encompasses a lot of the things that I speak about often. I will highlight a few of them.
•We are all vulnerable when we become patients.
•It's extremely difficult to question/stand up to the medical
community in times of crisis.
•We need to help the medical community to let go of their
pre-conceived notions.
•The emotional toll has to be addressed!
•Patients consistently want four things:

1.They want the truth and in a timely manner.
2.They want either an apology or acknowledement (depending on the situation)
3.They want to know what the institution is going to do to make sure it doesn’t happen again.
4.They want SUPPORT!! Support can be different things to different people – this is where open honest communications comes in – so you know what each person wants and needs.

I hope you all take the time to read this article. There are a lot of lessons to be learned.

"Medicine Means Sometimes Having to Say You Are Sorry"

They are ideals that have been touted for some time in healthcare, but where are we now with regard to disclosure and apology? How do disclosure and apology programs fit into the new healthcare legislation? Whose programs are working, and what are the barriers that prevent others from being successful? Check out Joanne Kenen's article in the April 2, 2010, edition of Miller-McCune.

Lucian Leape Institute at NPSF Releases New White Paper

The Lucian Leape Institute at the National Patient Safety Foundation released a white paper on March 10th, 2009, arguing that US medical schools fail to prepare future physicians with the skills and knowledge necessasry to ensure safe delivery of patient care. The report, "Unmet Needs: Teaching Physicians to Provide Safe Care," describes the shortcomings of the current medical education system and issues an urgent call for reform.

To read the press release and to download a copy of the report, click here.

Lucian L. Leape, MD, is the Chair of the Lucian Leape Institute and is also a Special Advisor to the MITSS Board of Directors.

The Treatment Trap -- A New Book by Rosemary Gibson

This past Tuesday, Health Care for All sponsored a program featuring Rosemary Gibson, author of The Wall of Silence. Rosemary and co-author Janardan Prasad Singh have just released a new book, The Treatment Trap -- How the Overuse of Medical Care is Wrecking Your Health and What You Can Do to Prevent It. The book explores the overuse, misuse, and underuse of medical care -- including needless surgery and other invasive procedures, out-of-control x-ray imaging, profligate testing, and other wasteful practices that have become routine among too many American doctors.

Click here to check out the book on Amazon.

Look for a profile of the author, Rosemary Gibson, in the upcoming edition of the MITSS newsletter.

2010 MITSS HOPE Award -- Call for Nominations

In honor of National Patient Safety Awareness Week (March 7th through the 13th, 2010), MITSS is pleased to announce that we are now accepting nominations for the Third 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.

The 2010 Sponsor of the HOPE Award is rL Solutions.

Nominations are due by September 15th, 2010, and the Award will be presented at the MITSS 9th Annual Dinner and Fundraiser to be held on Thursday, November 4, 2010, at The Westin Copley Place, Boston, MA.

For eligibility criteria and submission requirements, click here. Take this opportunity to nominate someone who is doing great work. Note that self-nominations will be acceptable. Visit www.mitsshopeaward.org for all things MITSS HOPE Award -- download a nomination form, check out past winners, and much, much more!!! Also, feel free to give us a call at (617) 232-0090 or toll free at 1-888-366-4877 if you have any questions.

Patient Safety Awareness Week -- March 7 through the 13th

Patient Safety Awareness Week (PSAW) is a national education and awareness-building campaign for improving patient safety at the local level. Hospitals and healthcare organizations across the country are encouraged to plan events to promote patient safety within their own organizations. Educational activities are centered on educating patients on how to become involved in their own health care, as well as working with hospitals to build partnerships with their patient community.

This year's theme is "Let's Talk -- Healthy Conversations for Safer Healthcare."

At MITSS, we have offered a "To Do List" for healthcare organizations to support their patients, families, and clinicians during this important week. Check out our clinicians' blog for our day to day guide.

This week, and every week, we would like to remember those who have been harmed by adverse events and honor those who are working to make healthcare safer.