November 18, 2020

Patient Safety Beat Patient safety news and progress in Massachusetts.

Help is available to meet new rules for expanding patient access to health records

Health organizations across the state are preparing to meet new federal requirements that greatly expand access, use and exchange of health records. In addition to improving the transparency and portability of patient data throughout the health system, the new rules, set to go into effect in April, give patients direct access to and better control of their personal health information, including clinical notes.  OpenNotes, a pioneer in providing patients with on-demand access to clinical notes, is one of the organizations now offering resources to help make this transition.

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New COVID visitation guidelines aim to strike a balance As visitation policies due to COVID-19 continue to evolve, health care facilities in Massachusetts are balancing the needs and safety of patients, families, caregivers, clinicians, and staff members. “More Than a Visitor” — new guidance from the Massachusetts Coalition for Serious Illness Care — reflects lessons learned since the early days of the pandemic and offers overarching principles and advice for organizations as they update visitation policies, while also honoring guidance and directives from the state. Read the story

Join the conversation and share your telehealth experiences

A new survey — the fourth in a series from Massachusetts Health Quality Partners (MHQP) — is now open for clinicians willing to share what they’ve learned about telehealth since the beginning of the pandemic. Each survey in the series covers specific topics, asking for practical advice and solutions to common challenges. The survey currently open for response focuses on engaging patients, no shows, documentation, use of monitoring devices and ordering tests. The surveys are open to all clinicians and are intended to help improve the safety and quality of care across all specialties. Results from the series appear on the MHQP website along with hundreds of (anonymous) comments on specific questions, including practical tips, suggestions for improving the clinician and patient experience, reflections on the current environment and more. One clinician notes “I think video visits are the way of the future, but the connectivity needs to be greatly improved in order to be efficient and timely in completing these visits.” An internal medicine doctor suggests, “ … virtual outposts in neighborhoods to provide access” could help reduce disparities in internet access. And another clinician observes about telehealth visits, “It takes A LOT of resource to get patients up and running and our teams are strapped with increased volume demands, staff shortages, and depleted resilience with the pandemic.” To view earlier results and take the current survey, visit the MHQP website

Dr. Michael Filbin on the challenge of managing COVID-19, flu and sepsis "I urge patients and families to contact their doctor if they have symptoms or observe signs that could be related to COVID-19 or flu.. The cardinal signs of severe disease might be similar in both COVID-19 and sepsis — difficulty catching your breath, confusion, low blood pressure, or becoming pale or very weak — and this should prompt patients to seek immediate attention in their local emergency department." — Michael R. Filbin, M.D., Director of Clinical Research in Emergency Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital Read the interview

Patient Safety Beat is published by the Betsy Lehman Center, a state agency that supports providers, patients and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of health care.

BetsyLehmanCenterMA.gov

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