Alarms! Alarms! Alarms! … and a family seeks answers to death at a VA hospital.
But, before we get to the serious news … a little humor … Continue reading “Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Jan 23, 2015)”
Category: Patient Stories
Physician-Patient Alliance Recommends Continuous Respiratory Monitoring of All Patients Receiving Opioids
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety today issued the following statement encouraging the continuous electronic monitoring of all patients receiving opioids:
To improve patient safety and save patients’ lives, we recommend adopting continuous respiratory monitoring of all patients receiving opioids with pulse oximetry for oxygenation and with capnography for adequacy of ventilation to improve timely recognition of respiratory depression, decompensation or clinical deterioration.
We can help prevent deaths from medical error
By Lenore Alexander (Executive Director, LeahsLegacy)
For many years I have understood that to travel by plane, you should not have to get a pilot’s license.
I still think that is true, and that’s because the airline industry, along with the government, has addressed the job of fixing what was wrong and making air travel both safe and accountable.
In the past, I used that analogy to explain why I didn’t think you should need a medical background to be a safe patient. Time, knowledge and reality have changed my opinion.
To read her opinion, please click here.
Patient Stories Shared at First Meeting of National Coalition to Promote Continuous Monitoring of Patients on Opioids
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety today released the patient stories it shared at the inaugural meeting of the National Coalition to Promote Continuous Monitoring of Patients on Opioids.
“We hope that the adverse events and deaths of patients who have suffered opioid-induced respiratory compromise may serve as inspiration to encourage the adoption of continuous electronic monitoring of all patients receiving opioids,” said Physician-Patient Alliance Executive Director and Founder Michael Wong, JD. Continue reading “Patient Stories Shared at First Meeting of National Coalition to Promote Continuous Monitoring of Patients on Opioids”
Campaign to Promote Continuous Monitoring of Patients Receiving Opioids
The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety enthusiastically applauds the Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) Foundation’s newly launched campaign to promote continuous monitoring of all patients receiving opioid analgesics to manage their pain. Continue reading “Campaign to Promote Continuous Monitoring of Patients Receiving Opioids”
Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Nov 7, 2014)
This week’s must-reads bring the worst possible news: patient deaths. Continue reading “Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Nov 7, 2014)”
What Puts More Than Half a Million Lives at Risk Each Year and Costs the US Healthcare System $7.8 Billion Annually?
Join the newest Physician-Patient Alliance Initiative to Reduce the Risk of Respiratory Compromise and Save Lives. By simply signifying your support for reducing the risk of Respiratory Compromise and for saving the lives of patients, you can help ensure changes are made. Continue reading “What Puts More Than Half a Million Lives at Risk Each Year and Costs the US Healthcare System $7.8 Billion Annually?”
Ten Things Patients Should Know About Opioid Safety
[Editor’s Note: This is from the Empowered Patient “Ten Things Patients Should Know” Series”. Lenore Alexander is a member of the board of advisors for the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety. Since the tragic death of her daughter Leah, Lenore has been a passionate advocate for continuous electronic monitoring of all patients receiving opioids and opioid safety and, to help avoid adverse events and death while in hospital, encourages all patients and their families to be knowledgeable about medical treatments and care they will be receiving.] Continue reading “Ten Things Patients Should Know About Opioid Safety”
Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Oct 24, 2014)
It’s National Healthcare Quality Week and National Respiratory Care Week!
However, according to Pascal metrics, there is no reason to celebrate. Studies show that a third of patients are harmed in U.S. hospitals and the consequent financial burden of this harm may run to over $100 billion annually. Continue reading “Weekly Must Reads in Patient Safety (Oct 24, 2014)”
Sleep Apnea + Opioids = Post-Surgical Preventable Death
[Editor’s note: This article first appeared in The Doctor Weighs In. The team at Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety thank Pat for her tremendous courage and working with us on this tragic story of what happened to her husband. We hope that in this retelling, hospitals will be encouraged to ensure that similar events become “never events”.] Continue reading “Sleep Apnea + Opioids = Post-Surgical Preventable Death”