3 Key Patient Safety Initiatives for 2019

At the recent 4th Annual AARC Respiratory Patient Advocacy Summit, Michael Wong, JD (Founder and Executive Director, Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety) discussed 3 key patient safety initiatives for PPAHS for 2019.

Key #patientsafety initiatives for 2019 discussed at @aarc_tweets Respiratory‏Patient Advocacy Summit Click To Tweet

Also speaking with Mr. Wong on the panel discussion were:

Tim Myers (Chief Business Officer, AARC) moderated the session.

The 3 key patient safety initiatives for 2019 emphasized by Mr. Wong are:

  • Opioid Safety – PPAHS is one of the few patient safety advocates, if not the only, advocating for safer in-hospital use of opioids (no matter what mode of administration – IV, oral, intramuscular, transdermal, etc). Said Mr. Wong, “Most patient advocates concentrate on opioid overdoses, misuse, and diversion that occurs outside of a medical setting. While “street overdoses and users” deserve care and sympathy, by looking at in-hospital opioid safety, PPAHS focuses on what we consider is the root cause of the issue.” PPAHS recommends that all patients receiving opioids in hospital should be continuously electronically monitored.
all patients receiving #opioids in hospital should be continuously electronically #monitored #patientsafety Click To Tweet
  • Open Access – Access by patients to physician-recommended treatments, so that all patients are able to receive such treatments in a timely and affordable manner is a growing concern, said Mr. Wong. He emphasized that without access to treatments, patients will not see improved care.
without access to physician-recommended treatments, patients will not see improved care #patienthealth @aarc_tweets Respiratory‏Patient Advocacy Summit Click To Tweet
  • Sanctity of the Physician-Patient Relationship – To ensure that patients receive physician-recommended treatments, physicians must be able to prescribe medications that they believe are in the best interests of their patients. Interference with this physician-patient relationship by individuals or companies who are not the patient’s doctor may be illegal practices of medicine, said Mr. Wong, which may be subject to criminal and civil liabilities.
physicians must be able to prescribe medications that they believe are in the best interests of their patients #patienthealth @aarc_tweets Respiratory‏Patient Advocacy Summit Click To Tweet

 

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