Patient Safety

When patient safety is measured - First Care is tops!

Medical providers, surgeons, and the hospital staff at First Care worked together to comply with the Minnesota Hospital Association SAFE campaign goals.

First Care Medical Services hospital staff has taken four giant steps forward to prevent hospital incidents and insure the safety of patients. First Care has taken the lead in
Minnesota by becoming one of only four hospitals as of August 2008 that standardized all four SAFE medical practices introduced and recommended by the Minnesota Hospital Association.

Many Minnesota hospitals have become involved in incorporating these safety measures into their routines, but a smaller percentage have actually completed the campaigns. To be recognized, a hospital must achieve 90% compliance in patient safety practices.

Since 2000 patient safety in hospitals has been a concern for the MHA, and in 2006 the MHA Registry Advisory Council began researching the hospital incidents that occurred most often. The most common incidents were falling, pressure ulcers (bed sores), having surgery on the wrong site or wrong patient, and having retained objects after labor and delivery. They launched a campaign to develop standardized procedures for each category to help hospital staff improve the safety of patients.

The first campaign to be developed and introduced by MHA in February of 2007 was called SAFE SKIN. This campaign was geared to prevent pressure ulcers. "Our patients are our first priority, and we take care that our patients don’t develop any abnormal skin conditions," said Devra Carlson, Director of Hospital Patient Services at First Care.

"Team members quickly realized during the SAFE SKIN campaign that there was potential to affect more than patient safety. After the team started practicing the processes they began to also see happier, more satisfied patients. While hospitals can begin the MHA campaigns at any time and work at their own pace toward the goals, First Care signed onto each campaign as it became available," said Julie Apold, Director, Patient Safety for MHA.

The second campaign, SAFE from FALLS, was introduced in May 2007. With experience and success behind them, First Care signed onto the second campaign. First Care found the standardized steps worked.

The final stop in the SAFE SITE campaign, Time Out, is just before surgery.

"After we started checking patients every hour, they began to use the call light system less often. The halls are quieter and the patients appear less anxious, ‘I didn't use the call light because I knew you would be coming around again in just a little while’ one patient told me. Staff assist patients with toileting needs, repositioning, checking on pain response or the need for medication, and then look for anything in the room that could cause a fall, heading off problems before they occur. We believe the frequent room checks provide better pain control for patients, fewer falls and staff spends more time with patients. They are able to make better use of their time and are able to respond more quickly to call lights that DO appear. On one recent day in the hospital, we had no call lights," said Laura Woolliscroft, First Care Charge Nurse.

The third campaign, SAFE SITE, was introduced in December of 2007 and First Care signed on. This campaign has been the one most other hospitals adopted; 120 hospitals across the state are enrolled in this incentive, but just 21 of those hospitals have completed it. "The biggest challenge in this campaign was reviewing, testing and refining the protocol across the many departments and people it affected," said Carlson.

Patients must be identified; type of surgery and on the correct spot must be identified several times before surgery actually begins. The final stop is just before surgery begins and is called "Time Out." Once again surgical staff verify verbally patient identity, procedure performed, correct site and side, necessary equipment, implants or special requirements.

The fourth and final campaign, SAFE COUNT, was launched in April 2008. This initiative is aimed at preventing retained objects after labor and delivery. By double-checking all objects, First Care can prevent infections and problems for patients after delivery.

Since signing on to the first campaign in February of 2007, First Care not only achieved 90% compliance, but they achieved 100% compliance in SAFE from FALLS, SAFE SITE, AND SAFE COUNT and a 97% compliance in SAFE SKIN. First Care Medical Services and Innovis Health are working diligently to bring a safer, healthier medical community.

Patient Safety

When patient safety is measured - First Care is tops!

Related Links