When it Comes to Patient Safety, We Get an A.
There’s a story behind the story of how St. Mary’s earned an “A” from the Leapfrog Group.
The main story, of course, is how this hospital made patient safety a top priority, and did such an outstanding job that Leapfrog gave it the highest possible grade.
But there’s also the story of how St. Mary’s went about proving how deserving it is to receive this A grade – something that’s not easy to do, especially for a community hospital of this size.
From the start, let’s be clear about why this whole story matters: Leapfrog Group is a highly respected national organization that reports critical safety and quality information to help patients find the best medical care. It makes hospitals undergo a pretty rigorous exam in order to achieve a high grade.
Okay, now let’s pick up the story from the perspective of Meredith Borak, executive director, quality and performance excellence and chief nursing executive. She was one of the key players in the effort to achieve the Leapfrog A designation.
“First, let’s recognize that it takes consistency, accountability, and a commitment from every single person across the organization to makes this happen,” she says. “What this is really about is our people — our nurses, physicians, technicians, environmental services teams and support staff. Everyone who shows up every day with a focus on doing the right thing for our patients. Because it’s the small moments that matter – the double checks, the attention to detail, the willingness to speak up – that all creates a culture of safety.”
But, according to Meredith, there also needed to be a series of concrete measures taken to meet the demanding Leapfrog criteria. She and her team, including Julie Fenton, executive director, clinical operations in nursing, spent months putting new systems and protocols in place.
These included:
- Nurses using bar code scanning to ensure the right meds and right doses are going to the right patient — every time and in every clinical setting
- Providers electronically ordering meds and establishing the built-in safety alerts
- Ensuring that the most critical patients have certified providers managing their care, and bringing a multidisciplinary team to the bedside to discuss the patients plan of care
- Putting hand hygiene at the forefront through consistent education, surveillance and feedback to prevent the spread of infection
- Creating a culture of trust and transparency that rewards good catches and encourages all hospital staff to speak up for patient safety
- A point of care leadership approach that fosters a culture of safety through open communication and inclusive decision making.
In other words, it takes a village. And it takes a plan that’s carefully executed over time.And, of course, it’s not just about earning an A.
“We did all this for our patients and families,” Meredith says. “It’s about earning their trust and providing them with peace of mind. It means when you come through our doors, you can trust that your safety is our top priority, not just in what we do, but how we do it.”
In the end, this A is something our entire community can be proud of. It means the level of care available right here at home is something special.