Category: Patient Stories

“No patients are low risk” when it comes to cesarean delivery and venous thromboembolism, says perinatal expert Dr. Peter Cherouny

by Sean Power
February 4, 2014

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) held on January 22, 2014 a special webinar for the Perinatal Improvement Community on safety recommendations for maternal patients. You can download the webinar recording and slides here.

The webinar featured Peter Cherouny, MD, Emeritus Professor, Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Vermont, Chair and Lead Faculty of the IHI Perinatal Improvement Community and Michael Wong, JD, Executive Director of the Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety (PPAHS).

Maternal death rate in the USA has more than doubled in the last 25 years and data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show that pregnancy-related mortality is rising in the United States. Continue reading ““No patients are low risk” when it comes to cesarean delivery and venous thromboembolism, says perinatal expert Dr. Peter Cherouny” →

Making the Case for Maximum Alarm Management and Prevention of Alarm Fatigue

By Lynn Razzano, RN, MSN, ONCC (Clinical Nurse Consultant)

17-year old Mariah Edwards went in for a procedure that is performed countless times each year – a tonsillectomy. Recovering after the successful and very routine procedure, she was administered a dose of fentanyl to manage her pain. Although she was monitored continuously electronically, one of the attending nurses admitted on discovery that the monitor was muted for sound.

The settlement: $6 million. But, what really is $6 million to the parents of Mariah Edwards who have lost a child? What is the emotional toll to her nurses and other caregivers? Continue reading “Making the Case for Maximum Alarm Management and Prevention of Alarm Fatigue” →

Continuous Electronic Monitoring Could Have Saved My Child, My Family, My Marriage and My Life: A 11-Year Reflection on a Medical Travesty

By Lenore Alexander (Executive Director, leahslegacy.org)

The mother of Leah Coufal, Lenore Alexander is Executive Director of Leah’s Legacy, a non-profit advocate for mandatory electronic monitoring of patients on opioids. She may be reached at lalexander@leahslegacy.org

(The article was first published in HealthCareReport.)

Eleven years ago, I found my 11-year-old daughter, Leah, dead next to me in her hospital bed. And though I haven’t spent this time attending medical school, I now have a much better understanding of what happened during the 30 hours my child was in the hospital’s care. It’s what’s come to be called a “perfect storm” – a cascade of mistakes and miscommunication. Continue reading “Continuous Electronic Monitoring Could Have Saved My Child, My Family, My Marriage and My Life: A 11-Year Reflection on a Medical Travesty” →

The Intertwined Stories of Amanda Abbiehl and Continuous Electronic Monitoring

In the recent article, “Silent Danger: PCA Pumps and the Case for Continuous Monitoring” published by Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation in Biomedical Instrumentation & Technology, the story of 18-year old Amanda Abbiehl is told as a powerful reminder of the need for continuous electronic monitoring. Continue reading “The Intertwined Stories of Amanda Abbiehl and Continuous Electronic Monitoring” →

3 Questions About Patient Safety and PCA with Brian and Cindy Abbiehl from A Promise to Amanda Foundation

by Sean Power
December 12, 2013

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health and Safety released their findings from the First National Survey on Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) Safety Practices. Continue reading “3 Questions About Patient Safety and PCA with Brian and Cindy Abbiehl from A Promise to Amanda Foundation” →

Amber Scott’s story spotlights the risk of blood clots for new and expectant mothers

By Briggs Adams

(This article first posted on TheDoctorWeighsIn.)

More than six weeks after giving birth, Amber Rabalais Scott held her daughter Adeline Elizabeth in her arms for the first time – a milestone that the family and many friends of the 30-year-old Slidell, La., woman won’t ever forget. Continue reading “Amber Scott’s story spotlights the risk of blood clots for new and expectant mothers” →

Matt Whitman Letter on “My Near Miss”

by Matt Whitman, Retired Michigan State Trooper

In her recent op-ed article “My Near Miss” (New York Times Op-Ed, May 28), Dr. Danielle Ofri makes several convincing points about what caregivers should do to address one of the most important issues in their profession: medical errors. After reading it, I felt compelled to share my story. Continue reading “Matt Whitman Letter on “My Near Miss”” →

Nursing Spot Checks for Patient Safety: A Nurse’s Perspective

(This article first published in Advance for Nurses, which covers the issues that matter most to nurses practicing in all areas of the profession. As that publication winds down, we have archived some articles here.)

By Malinda Loflin, RN, BSN. Malinda is a certified case manager at a hospital in Oklahoma City. During her 22 years as a registered nurse, her clinical experience has been in many specialty areas including the operating room, post-anesthesia care unit, and the emergency department. In 2006, her father tragically died of opioid-induced respiratory depression after a routine surgery. She shared her experience and the impact that it has had on her and her family at the 2011 Anesthesia Patient Safety Conference.

Nursing spot checks on postoperative patients receiving opioids are not enough to ensure the safety of patients. I say this as both a registered nurse who works at a large medical center and as a daughter who has had the misfortune of seeing her own father die between nurses’ spot checks. Continue reading “Nursing Spot Checks for Patient Safety: A Nurse’s Perspective” →

Woman’s Death After Knee Surgery Calls Attention to Need for Better Monitoring

by Sean Power

The recent death of Helen Bousquet after what is being described by her son, Brian Evans, as “a basic routine procedure” at a hospital 40 minutes north of Boston highlights the need for better monitoring of patients after surgery. Mr. Evans is accusing the hospital of criminal negligence, according to an exclusive interview with Valley Patriot, as a result of how his mother’s visit to the hospital was handled by staff. Continue reading “Woman’s Death After Knee Surgery Calls Attention to Need for Better Monitoring” →

Adverse Drug Events Discussed at California Hospital Engagement Network

by Sean Power

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety recently participated in a webinar hosted through the California Hospital Engagement Network, an organization that brings together hospitals to reduce patient harm by 40% and readmissions by 20% by the end of 2013.

The panel discussion looked at patient stories and best practices for preventing opioid related adverse events. The panelists included: Continue reading “Adverse Drug Events Discussed at California Hospital Engagement Network” →