PCH participating in National Patient Safety Awareness Week

During the week of March 3-9, Putnam County Hospital is participating with the Indiana Hospital Association and other Indiana hospitals to observe Patient Safety Awareness Week.

The observance honors a statewide commitment to collectively work together as a health care community to provide the safest care possible. Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has proclaimed March 3-9 as Patient Safety Awareness Week in Indiana.

Patient Safety Awareness Week is an annual education and awareness campaign for health care safety led by the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF). This year's "Patient Safety 7/365" theme highlights the need for everyone to understand the importance of focusing on patient safety year-round.

"Ensuring that our community members who entrust Putnam County Hospital with their health care needs are provided the highest level of quality and safe care is a commitment that every member of our team shares," Annette Handy, RN CDE, PCH Quality Assurance, said. "Every patient encounter allows us to evaluate and direct our focus to elevate our practice and exceed expectations."

PCH Director of Nursing Joni Perkins agrees.

"Patient Safety 7/365 reminds us that providing safe patient care requires a constant and dedicated effort, 365 days a year," Perkins said.

"This week encourages a sustainable and conscientious collaboration between not only our health care organization, but also other hospitals, providers and consumers." Perkins added. "The week is intended to imprint an indelible statement that efforts toward patient safety must be collaborative and that we must never be satisfied with the status quo."

NPSF encourages creative collaboration among provider groups, patient advocates and other community organizations to help patients and consumers understand how they can participate to be part of the solution.

Putnam County Hospital supports that collaboration and has joined together with area hospitals to participate in the Central Southwest regional patient safety coalition.

Eleven regional patient safety coalitions are active in Indiana, led by the Indiana Hospital Association's Indiana Patient Safety Center. The goal of these coalitions is to forge a bond between hospitals on patient safety, driven by evidence-based practices to markedly improve the quality of care. Hospitals participating in the regional patient safety coalitions operate under the key principle that "we do not compete on patient safety."

Every hospital in the state now has access to a regional coalition to promote leadership and front-line staff engagement in safety improvements.

"Patient safety and the quality of care in our hospitals remains a primary focus of the Indiana Hospital Association and our 11 regional patient safety coalitions that blanket the state," Betsy Lee, director of the Indiana Patient Safety Center, said. "Indiana hospitals continue to reach patient safety milestones and find ways to improve the care their patients receive."

Indiana Hospital Association is a non-profit organization that serves as the professional trade association for 164 Hoosier hospitals. The members are either independent or a member of one of the 23 systems in the state.