Transcript How Safe is Your Hospital?

How Safe is Your
Hospital?
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Hospital Safety
• Aren’t all hospitals safe places?
• What can happen?
• What does a safe hospital look like?
And most importantly…
• How do I stay safe in a hospital?
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Aren’t all hospitals safe places?
Unfortunately, no.
As many as 440,000 deaths occur from hospital errors
and injuries each year.
A study of Medicare patients showed that they had a
one-in-four chance of experiencing injury, harm or
death when admitted to a hospital.
Not all hospitals are safe!
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What can happen?
• A nurse’s failure to wash her hands could spread
disease from one patient to the next.
• Failure to comply with surgical checklists could mean
a sponge or instrument is left inside you after surgery.
• Hospitals that don’t have a computer system for
prescribing medications could mean you’d be given
the wrong medicine, maybe even one that can harm
you.
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What does a safe hospital look like?
Many hospitals can perform safe surgeries
Safer hospitals will ensure you don’t get an
infection while you’re recovering
Many hospitals encourage staff to wash their hands
Safer hospitals have policies in place to ensure they
always do
Many hospitals have world-renowned doctors
Safer hospitals ensure those doctors work together to
keep you safe
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Making Patient Safety a Priority
Patient safety should be the number one
priority at every hospital across the
country.
Some hospitals have hidden dangers, but
there are things you can do to protect
yourself and your loved ones.
How Do I Find a Safe
Hospital?
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The Hospital Safety Score
The Hospital Safety Score
grades hospitals on how
safe they are for patients
(meaning, how well a
hospital protects patients
from errors, injuries,
accidents, and infections).
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The Hospital Safety Score
Each A, B, C, D or F score comes from expert analysis
of data that patients can use to protect themselves
and their families from harm or death during a
hospital stay.
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How Safe is My Hospital?
• Visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org
• Look up hospitals by name, city, or zip code
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www.hospitalsafetyscore.org
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Search Results
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Choosing a Hospital
We recommend going to hospitals that
receive an “A” Hospital Safety Score.
If your local hospital rates below an “A”,
you can:
• Talk with your doctor at that hospital and urge them to
improve their safety.
• Use these Safety Scores to start a conversation with hospital
leadership and local policymakers about hospital safety.
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What You Can Do to
Stay Safe
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Stay Safe in the Hospital
Use the Hospital Safety Score website to research the safest
hospitals in your area so that you are prepared in case you or a
family member needs hospital care.
Then…
• Bring a trusted family member or friend with you
• Share a list of all medications you’re taking with your doctor as
soon as you arrive at the hospital
• Be alert and say something if you’re confused or have
concerns. During your stay, you or a companion should take
notes to keep track of what’s happening.
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Your role
As the patient, you are an important part of the
healthcare team. Stay vigilant and actively
involved in your care, even if you’re receiving
care at an “A” hospital.
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What is [Company] doing to keep me
safe in the hospital?
• We urge all our employees to review the Hospital Safety Scores
for hospitals that they might consider using and select
hospitals that receive an “A” grade
• We can help you find the safest hospital in your community
• We will provide all employees with a checklist “What You Can
Do to Stay Safe” to help guide your hospital stay
• Our [Wellness Champions/Nurses/HR Directors] are prepared
to answer any questions you may have related to hospital care
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What else do I need to know about
choosing a hospital?
• Organizations like The Leapfrog Group make information about
hospital quality available to the public
• It is important to consider a hospital’s quality as well as safety,
particularly if you are going to a hospital for a high-risk
procedure or a service like maternity care
• Visit www.leapfroggroup.org/cp for more information on your
hospital
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While many hospitals are good at keeping their
patients safe, some hospitals aren’t. Some hospitals
have hidden dangers you should know about.
Remember, you are an important member of the
healthcare team. You can make a difference when
it comes to keeping you and your loved ones safe.
Visit www.hospitalsafetyscore.org to
find our how your hospital is keeping
its patients safe.
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