November 2016

Up Front

More MA health care workers are getting vaccinated against flu, but many facilities lag behind the state goal

The average flu vaccination rate has risen slightly among Massachusetts health care workers, but some hospitals — and an even greater share of other health facilities — fail to reach the state’s 90% target.

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FIVE QUESTIONS WITH ...

James B. Conway

Jim Conway, the respected patient safety advocate and former executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, who is retiring, says health care leaders "have to have a preoccupation with failure” to reduce patient harm.

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SAFETY NEWS

Cases of wrong patient procedures in Massachusetts point to need for vigilance

There have been at least seven instances since the start of 2015 in which hospitals or ambulatory surgical centers have performed procedures on the wrong patients. All could have been avoided if basic identification and communication steps were taken.

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ONE LAST THING

Don't overlook FDA reporting requirements

Three Massachusetts hospitals were cited by the Food and Drug Administration for failure to report device-related harm. Our Patient Safety Navigator tool can ensure you know the rules.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

TODAY!

Behavioral Health and Readmissions Webinar

When: Thu, Nov 17, 2016 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM EST

The Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) and Collaborative Healthcare Strategies invite you to participate in a webinar examining the ways in which behavioral health conditions influence the risk of hospital readmissions.

Click for more information and to register

WIHI: How to speak up for safety

When: November 17, 2016, 2:00 PM ET

We’d like to think that robust safety cultures are so common in health care organizations today, everyone is comfortable pointing out missteps and discrepancies to their colleagues and even getting better at bringing them to the attention of their supervisors. Not so fast. Join WIHI for a panel on how to speak up for safety.

Click for more information and to register

MA Coalition call for proposals

Deadline: December 1, 2016
2017 Patient Safety Forum: March 30, 2017

If you are interested presenting your work during the 2017 Patient Safety Forum, fill out and submit the proposal form.

Let us know about your upcoming event.

Patient Safety Beat is published monthly by the Betsy Lehman Center, a state agency that uses communications, research, and data to catalyze the efforts of providers, policymakers, and consumers working toward safer health care in Massachusetts.