Volume 10
Issue 12
June 12, 2015
PRESBYbulletin Penn Presbyterian Medical Center
National Hospital Week Celebrated in May, National Hospital Week celebrates hospitals and the men and women who support the health of their communities through dedication and compassionate care. It also recognizes the miracles they help to make happen on a day to day basis, both large and small. PPMC took this year’s National Hospital Week as an opportunity to thank all of the committed individuals – physicians,
MS City to Shore Bike Tour June is here along with prime bicycling weather. Team UPHS/PENN’s registration drive continues with 192 of your peers (59% of our goal) having already registered. So please join the largest and most accomplished team on the MS City to Shore Bike Tour over the past 5 years. We can’t take this esteemed position for granted, as this year, Dimension Data has designated City to Shore as their company’s international ride. In order to maintain our success, we ask that all riders please register as soon as possible to insure Team UPHS/PENN remains #1. All employees, family and friends are welcome to join the team. Current Registrations: 1.
Dimension Data – 246
2.
UPHS/PENN – 192
3.
Team Evesham – 91
Each person who raises the minimum $300 receives a free customized Team UPHS/PENN jersey. (continued on back)
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PPMC took this year’s National Hospital Week as an opportunity to thank all of the committed individuals
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nurses, therapists, engineers, food service workers, volunteers, administrators and so many more – for their contributions. Faculty and staff were treated to a Caribbean-themed outdoor BBQ. The event was just a small token of appreciation for all the dedication and support PPMC faculty and staff show to patients and each other all year long.
Reporting events in Penn Safety Net is an important part of PPMC’s journey to become a safer, more reliable hospital. Yet, when a patient safety event occurs, staff members are naturally concerned about consequences of job loss, malpractice claims and damaged reputations. Thus, even when the incident results from understandable human error, we are often hesitant to report it. On PPMC’s most recent AHRQ Culture of Safety Survey, 58% of respondents indicated that they view PPMC’s response to error to be punitive toward those involved. To counter this perception, PPMC is working to implement a Just Culture policy to improve the systems that promote safety and so staff members are not blamed or disciplined for human errors or unintentional risky behaviors. An open, safe culture can only occur when our staff trusts they will be treated fairly when events happen. Just Culture is a model of shared responsibility between hospital and staff that encourages transparency with a goal of promoting accountability of leadership, engaging clinicians and staff in improvement efforts, and gaining greater patient trust. In addition earning their trust, at least one large health system demonstrated a transparent medical error disclosure program that admits errors to patients (and makes offers for compensation, when appropriate) does not increase total malpractice claims or liability costs.1 Dr. Lucian Leape, a pioneer in the patient safety field, suggests the single greatest barrier to error prevention in hospitals is “that we punish people for making mistakes.” Knowing its staff does not come to work with the intention of harming patients, PPMC is implementing Just Culture to formalize the shared role leadership, clinicians and staff have in the development of safety culture. For more information, please see the Presby Bulletin online.
MS City to Shore Bike Tour (continued from front)
Visit the web site below to register as a team member (or see the link available in the Presby Bulletin online): http://main.nationalmssociety. org/goto/UPHS-PENN Garry Scheib and more than 13,000 local people living with MS are again counting on you for what’s sure to be another outstanding year for our team. Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of the movement to create a world free of MS. We can’t do it without you!
PPMC THANKS…
Just Culture: The Rationale
Karrima Owens, MSN, ACNS-BC, who volunteered her time last month to teach local kids about stroke education including signs and symptoms of a stroke, and what to do if they suspect someone is having a stroke. One week after Karrima’s session on stroke education, Emily Simaitis, RD, LDN, and Lauren Carver, RD, LDN, clinical dietitians at PPMC, also volunteered their time to teach kids about proper nutrition and making healthier food choices. The sessions were both part of the ongoing uGo series, an eightweek program run twice each year by the People’s Emergency Center that features activities that promote healthy lifestyles and community connectivity. Each week, PPMC volunteers will be on-site to lead information sessions and programs for local residents. Thank you to all our volunteers! If you are interested in participating in a uGo event, please visit: www. pennmedicine.org/ community
Reference: Kachalia, A., et al. Ann Intern Med. 2010;153:213-221 Contact Us: Katie Delach | katie.delach@uphs.upenn.edu | http://news.pennmedicine.org/inside/presbybulletin/