The MHA Keystone Center PSO is hosting a Health IT & Risk Safety Safe Table from 12:30 to 3 p.m. June 14. The event will be held at Goshen Health, located at 200 High Park Avenue in Goshen, Indiana. Lunch will be provided at 11:30 a.m.
The free, interactive event will feature Goshen Health speakers Angie Lucas, manager, risk and safety, and Marlene Marks, director, clinical quality and performance improvement. They will present lessons learned at their health system and facilitate group discussions. Participants will gain insight into risk and safety considerations related to technology, including electronic medical record downtime, medication administration, mobility and competency assurance. During the breakout sessions, each group will create a gap analysis tool to assist in the evaluation of an organization’s processes and identification of potential vulnerabilities.
Directors or managers of risk management, directors of patient safety and directors of quality improvement are encouraged to register.
The healthcare workforce is at higher risk of harm due to violence than other professional fields. Recent increases in workplace violence represent a major barrier to both staff and patient safety, prompting the need for additional resources, training and education.
The MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization (PSO) Annual Meeting brings together national safety and clinical experts each year to discuss trending topics in healthcare.The 2023 meeting will be held virtually 9 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. May 3, focused on workforce safety and security. Speaker presentations include:
Stephen Weiler, emergency management specialist at HSS, an MHA Endorsed Business Partner, will provide an overview of HSS and its physical risk assessments.
Brian Uridge, deputy director at the University of Michigan Division of Public Safety will outline actions health systems can take to address and reduce healthcare violence. He will also provide examples of safety training procedures and policies for members to replicate.
Registration is now open for the MHA Keystone Center Safe Patient Handling Conference. The all-day event will take place April 13 at the Ann Arbor Marriott Ypsilanti at Eagle Crest.
In partnership with the MHA Keystone Center, EarlyMobility.com and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, the free event will provide participants with a better understanding of how caregiver and patient safety are connected. Attendees will also learn how safe, early and continuous mobility can help achieve better patient outcomes inless time with fewer staff.
Participants will view live simulations demonstrating best practices for patient handling and discuss how to avoid care activities that cause caregiver injury and compromise quality of care.
Risk and safety officers, physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists and worker’s compensation staff are encouraged to register.
Nursing, physical therapy, risk management and quality credits have been secured for the event. Continuing education credits for occupational therapy are being pursued.
About the speakers:
Margaret Arnold
Margaret Arnold is one of the world’s foremost experts on early mobility and is CEO of EarlyMobility.com. Margaret has over 25 years of experience as a PT, specializing in back injury treatment and prevention, industrial rehabilitation, ergonomics and safe patient mobility. You can often catch Margaret both domestically and internationally speaking at conferences related to PT, early mobility and safe patient handling. She is the editorial advisor on early mobility for the International Journal of Safe Patient Handling and has a seat on the board of directors for the American Safe Patient Handling Association. She has published extensively on both topics and is a pioneer in integrating early mobility programs with safe patient handling programs.
Janice Homola
Janice Homola is President Emeritus of the Michigan Health Care Safety Association (MHCSA). As a certified safe patient handling associate (CSPHA), Janice specializes in safe patient movement and mobility by conducting gap analyses, collaborating to determine improvements, providing coaching and education and by improving organizations’ cultures of safety.
Janice was co-developer and presenter for five years for MIOSHA funded, statewide seminars, On the Backs of Healthcare Workers, to spotlight the depth and breadth of patient movement challenges and provide innovative solutions. She participated with MIOSHA in ergonomic standard development and provided safe patient movement education to MIOSHA’s Consultation Education and Training division.
Members with questions about the conference may contact the MHA Keystone Center.
EarlyMobility.com is an AOTA Approved Provider of professional development. This live event is an introductory level course. The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products of clinical procedures by AOTA.
The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Keystone Center presented Courtney Meagher, RN at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, July 12 with the quarterly MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award.
The MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award celebrates individuals or teams in Michigan hospitals demonstrating a commitment to the prevention of patient or staff harm.
Meagher is being honored for her diligence in caring for a patient who accidently removed their tracheostomy tube. While the patient’s oxygen saturation was 100%, Meagher was still concerned with the patient’s breathing after a difficult tracheostomy tube replacement and sought counsel from another nurse. After confirming the patient was breathing from their mouth rather than the tracheostomy tube, the team was able to place a new one in the appropriate position. Meagher’s actions prevented potential harm and any further complications.
“It’s an honor to be recognized as a patient advocate,” said Meagher. “I am grateful to work in a system where I feel confident to question, validate and verify to ensure our patients are receiving the best care possible.”
Launched in March 2016, the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award promotes a culture within healthcare organizations empowering staff to speak up about the quality or safety of patient care to foster continuous improvement and minimize institutional risk for both patients and providers.
“Team members like Courtney allow us to lead the way in providing comprehensive, specialized health care for children,” said Luanne Thomas Ewald, MHA, FACHE, chief operating officer, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital. “We are grateful to see her recognized for displaying the high safety standards we set to ensure we are providing the highest quality of care.”
Additional award finalists for the second quarter of 2022 include:
Claire LaPlaunt, MyMichigan Medical Center Sault, Sault Ste. Marie
Areej Kattan, Beaumont Hospital, Dearborn
“It’s the steadfast approach of healthcare workers like Courtney that advances the safety and quality of Michigan hospitals,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “She is incredibly deserving of this recognition for her courage to speak up and seek validation for her patient.”
More information about the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award, including criteria and a nomination form, are available online.
MHA CEO Brian Peters; Beth Bedra, RN, patient safety officer, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, and Sarah Scranton, MPA, vice president, safety and quality, MHA and MHA Keystone executive director.
The Michigan Health & Hospital Association (MHA) Keystone Center honored Beth Bedra, patient safety officer at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital, June 9 with the quarterly MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, changes were made to the main entrance at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital to accommodate infection control requirements for patient visitors. However, the revised entrance utilized a revolving door that was not suitable for all visitors and posed a safety risk. Beth personally examined the door, reviewed video footage of how patients and their care partners enter and exit the facility and engaged other staff in identifying solutions. As a result, she led efforts to revise the entrance that accommodates the needs of all visitors at the hospital and ensures the safest walkway possible.
“I’m honored to be a recipient of this award and to know that as a team, we’ve been able to improve the patient and visitor experience at ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital,” said Bedra. “I’m thankful we have a culture where I could speak up and suggest a change that is in the best interest of safety at the hospital.”
Launched in March 2016, the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award acknowledges individuals or teams within MHA Keystone Center Patient Safety Organization hospitals who speak up to prevent potential harm to patients or other staff members. The award fosters a culture within healthcare organizations that empowers staff to speak up about the quality or safety of patient care.
“We are incredibly grateful to have Beth as part of our team,” said Darrin Arquette, president, ProMedica Monroe Regional Hospital. “Her years of safety experience, in addition to her perceptive observation skills and attention to detail help improve the safety and quality of care for our staff, patients and their care partners on a daily basis.”
Additional award finalists for the first quarter of 2022 include:
Jennifer Helman, NP, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital
“The pandemic has created incredible challenges for hospitals and in many instances, drastically changed the visitor experience,” said MHA CEO Brian Peters. “Beth is a great example that despite the increased stress on healthcare workers, they still display an unwavering commitment to improving safety for all who enter their facilities.”
Specifics on the MHA Keystone Center Speak-up! Award, including criteria and a nomination form, are available online. For more information, contact the MHA Keystone Center PSO.
Celebrate Patient Safety Awareness Week March 13 through 19. Patient Safety Awareness Week is an annual recognition intended to encourage all to learn more about healthcare safety. Additionally, it highlights the importance of patient safety, celebrates progress to improve care and focuses on pertinent issues facing healthcare teams.
Since its inception in 2003 as a federally listed Patient Safety Organization (PSO), the MHA Keystone Center has provided hundreds of learning opportunities for its members to share evidence-based practices. It has collected, analyzed and aggregated adverse event data to transform it into sustained clinical improvements and an overall culture shift in Michigan hospitals.
Patient Safety Awareness Week presents an opportunity to focus on the organizational efforts to make care safer for patients and employees. Below are ways hospitals can celebrate:
Nominate an improvement team for the MHA Advancing Safe Care Award by March 25. The award focuses on four key issues – safety culture, quality improvement, transparency and health equity.
Recognize patient safety champions by submitting a nomination for the quarterly MHA Keystone Center PSO Speak-up! Award. The award honors individuals or teams who speak up to prevent potential harm to patients or other staff members.
Participate in the MHA Workplace Safety Collaborative by submitting Occupational and Safety Health Administration data in KeyMetrics, the MHA Keystone Center’s data reporting platform.
Continue to submit data in the PSO’s event reporting platform, which provides real-time surveillance of patient safety trends.
