Unique
contest rewards hospitals for patient safety
(METRO) — People turn to hospitals
in times of need to provide emergency care or lifesaving assistance. But too
often the institution that is supposed to be helping heal the wounds and cure
the diseases is the cause of unforeseen problems through medical errors.
Medical errors cost money and often people’s lives. A
unique contest offered by Precision Dynamics Corporation, the global leader in
automatic wristband identification, is rewarding those who are helping to
reduce these mistakes in the healthcare field.
An epidemic problem
Recent studies reveal that one in 10 U.S. patients is
injured and nearly 100,000 die every year from preventable medical errors.
Common preventable medical errors include administering the wrong medication to
patients, including prescriptions with similar-sounding names, treating
patients who are not properly identified, patients becoming infected with
hospital-borne diseases, or at worst, improper medical surgeries or other
treatments ending in permanent disability or death.
Many insurance companies will not cover costs associated
with medical errors, and patients are left in the lurch in all respects.
According to a recent report by CBS News, the Medicare system and several large
insurance companies will no longer pay for certain preventable errors.
Beginning in October, Medicare will no longer pay for eight hospital mistakes
including: urinary infections from catheters, bed sores, surgical objects left
in body, air embolism, giving wrong type of blood, blood infection from
catheters, chest infections after bypass surgery, and hospital-caused injury.
“There’s no denying the amount of discouraging news
lately on medical errors and their immediate effect on human lives,” said
Precision Dymamics Corporation President & CEO
Gary Hutchinson. “Traditionally, hospitals were quick to place blame on the
individual caregiver who made the mistake. But now, through a more advanced
approach, we’re focusing on systematic changes and using automated technologies
to prevent medical errors. Our campaign is geared toward recognizing these
hospitals, and helping other facilities learn from them to better maximize
safety and improve patient outcomes,” said Hutchinson.
A contest for change
It takes a collective effort to reduce preventable
medical errors. PDC wants to reward those who take active steps with regard to
this important issue. PDC’s Partner in Patient Safety Success Story Contest is
focused on measures that better protect patients through innovative products or
methods that prevent medical errors and improve patient safety. Any U.S.
hospital or healthcare facility can participate in the contest — and there is
no cost to enter. A judging committee will select the winner based on the best
submitted patient safety success story. PDC will donate $10,000 to the
foundation named by the winner. The winner’s story will also be covered in the
publication Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare and will be posted on PDC’s
Web site.
Hospitals and healthcare organizations looking to enter
the contest can find complete rules and entry information at
www.pdcorp.com/patientsafety. The deadline for story submissions is Aug. 4.