While the Patient Safety, Science & Technology Summit called for “orders of magnitude” change, the story of Amber Scott, a mother who slipped into a coma during delivery, illuminates why improving safety for even a single person matters.
Can Business Savvy, Clout, and Charisma Supercharge Patient Safety?
Medical professionals congregated at the Patient Safety Summit to support the goal of eliminating preventable medical errors by 2020.
Forbes contributors Michael Millenson and Dan Munro penned two pieces, here and here respectively, that are both worth a read—Millenson’s, for its fresh perspective as a first-time attendee, and Munro’s, for its breakdown of a rather provocative quote about “evil” people in the health care industry.
Mother Who Gave Birth During Coma on Road to Miraculous Recovery
WDSU News published a follow-up piece on Amber Scott, the woman who 2.5 years ago slipped into a coma after giving birth. Amber is well on the road to recovery as she and her husband raise their two-year old daughter Adeline.
The coma complications were related to venous thromboembolism (VTE), a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the USA.
Amber’s story, which PPAHS has previously shared, highlights the risk of blood clots for new and expectant mothers.
Risk factors for VTE can be reduced by simple and cost-effective measures. PPAHS developed OB VTE Safety Recommendations to help hospitals reduce the risk of VTE.
Standardized Alarms to Combat Alarm Fatigue
The Journal of the American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation and the American Journal of Nursing recently published research papers on standardized alarm care processes.
PPAHS Advisor Maria Cvach, Assistant Director of Nursing, Clinical Standards at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, has recommended standardized care processes among other possible solutions.