The Empowered Patient Coalition (EPC) has published the first ever patient- initiated survey describing the devastating effects of adverse medical events. Please read and share this important open access article in BMJ Quality & Safety in which the Coalition recommends that patients and families be actively encouraged to provide feedback that focuses on their unique solutions for creating safer, more patient-centered systems.
Access the full open access article here.
Sepsis was one of the healthcare challenges addressed at the 2015 Patient Safety Movement summit in Irvine, CA. The panel titled “Sepsis: the Leading Cause of Death in US Hospitals” featured Anna Noonan, VP of Quality from the University of Vermont Medical Center, Julia Hallisy from The Empowered Patient Coalition, Kayla Renals from the Partnership for Patients (CMS), Hildy Schell-Chaple, CNS from UCSF Medical Center, Christopher Fee, M.D., Professor of Emergency Medicine at UCSF Medical Center, Richard Smith, M.D., Infectious Disease Secialist Tri-City Hospital and Laura Schlenker from Cerner.
To view all of the patient perspective and panel discussion videos please visit The Patient Safety Movement.
Join the Patient Safety Movement Foundation for the annual Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit January 23rd – 24th, 2015 at the Hotel Irvine in Irvine, CA. The Summit will convene leaders from the provider, patient, medical technology, employer, and public policy communities to develop actionable solutions to address patient safety challenges. Their overriding goal is zero preventable deaths by 2020.
An afterword by Julia Hallisy is included in the recently released book, “After The Error – Speaking Out About Patient Safety To Save Lives” – true stories that are examples of various types of errors, their impact, and the efforts made to avoid future errors.
View the book on Amazon
Julia Hallisy wrote a chapter for a textbook from the American Academy of Pain Medicine entitled “Empowerment: A Pain Caregiver’s Perspective.”
From the introduction: Managing a loved one’s pain is one of the most difficult and anxiety-provoking responsibilities facing caregivers. Pain management by caregivers requires information, skills, support, and compassion. Too often, caregivers find that they are overwhelmed by this formidable responsibility and unsure of where to turn for help.
In my own case, my late daughter Katherine Hallisy was diagnosed at five months of age with bilateral retinoblastoma and faced five recurrences of her cancer before her death in February, 2000 at the age of ten. Kate’s cancer was aggressive and accompanied by episodes of chronic pain. An above-the-knee amputation led to both physical and unrelenting “phantom” pain. Radiation years earlier to Kate’s right orbital area eventually led to a non-operable tumor in her skull and proved to be one of our most formidable pain management challenges. I learned that while each pain experience is personal and subjective, in many ways it is shared by the entire family and each caregiver.
View the book on Amazon
The Coalition feels that it is important for patients to be clear about who will be performing their surgeries. The following article from the Chicago Tribune quotes Julia Hallisy of The Empowered Patient Coalition and illustrates the need for patients to ask questions of their surgeons and to understand who will be involved in their surgical procedures.
Please see the tip box entitled “What to consider before surgery.”
