KGH Takes part in Canadian Patient Safety Week

Kingston General Hospital is taking advantage of another opportunity to put the spotlight on ways to deliver safe and quality care. Next week is Canadian Patient Safety Week across the country and our hospital has signed up to support it with a range of interactive activities.

"It's another good chance for us to think about ways we can integrate safety and awareness into our daily practices, our environment and our processes," says Patient Safety Advisor Astrid Strong, "We want to really stress teamwork and communication."

The annual event is being organized this year by a special committee with representation from both clinical and non-clinical areas, plus three of our Patient Experience Advisors. Things kick off bright and early on Monday, Oct. 29 when members of our Patient Safety and Quality Care Committee will be greeting staff, patients and visitors at all three main entrances between 6:30 and 8:00 a.m. with information about the week.

For four of the days, the main event at KGH is going to be one of a series of Virtual Forum Presentations. These presentations are being organized by the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and will be broadcast over the web. Each session will last about 50 minutes and there will be opportunities for discussions during each one. Here's a breakdown of the sessions on the schedule:

"Culture: Safety & Mental Health", Monday, Oct. 29 from 3:00 to 3:50 p.m., Kidd 9 Conference Room

"Falls Prevention: The Cypress Health Region SK Initiative", Tuesday, Oct. 30 from 12:10 to 1:00 p.m., Dietary 3 Board Room

"Medication Safety: Safe Prescribing for the Frail Elderly", Wednesday, Oct. 31 from 3:00 to 3:45 p.m., Kidd 6 Conference Room

"C. Difficile: Handling an Outbreak", Thursday, Nov. 1 from 12:10 to 1:25 p.m., Kidd 10 Conference Room

Everyone is welcome to take part in one of these forums and no registration is required. Then on Friday, itís the grand finale ñ a special event designed to highlight some of the latest safety initiatives here at KGH. Several of our Patient Experience Advisors are hosting a forum where teams from across the hospital have been invited to share information about initiatives they are leading that are making a difference. "The goal of this event will be to get the word out about some of the exciting things happening right now around safety," says Strong. "We'll be hearing from the Mental Health program, the Medicine program, Radiation Therapy, and from Pharmacy for example." Patients are also being invited to consider the role they play in keeping themselves safe throughout the week. The theme of this year's overall event is "Ask. Listen. Talk. Good healthcare starts with a question." "Everybody has accountability for safety and the patient has to be a key partner in that," says Strong. "The way they can do that is through always asking questions, listening, and communicating about their experience and what their goals are. Their voice is important." KGH is just one of many hospitals and organizations taking part in Canadian Patient Safety Week. If you'd like more information visit the website at www.patientsafetyinstitute.ca.