September 21, 2021

Patient Safety Beat Patient safety news and progress in Massachusetts.

Tools to improve care and awareness can help meet ongoing challenge of sepsis

September is Sepsis Awareness Month, and a broad coalition of Massachusetts health care agencies and organizations is offering tools and information to lower the state’s sepsis mortality rate. A renewed campaign to remind the public to “Be Sepsis Smart” is also underway — and timely, given the continued risk of serious infections from COVID-19.   Read the story

New toolkit helps expand peer support for clinicians and staff

Peer support is an effective approach for helping a broad range of clinicians and staff heal emotionally after difficult or adverse events. A new online toolkit guides organizations through the key elements of implementing a successful peer support program. Read the story

Researchers tap the experience of patients, clinicians and other experts on telediagnosis Despite widespread use of telehealth during the pandemic, little is known about the effectiveness and safety of virtual care for diagnosis and what actions would improve the experience for clinicians and patients. The Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine recently interviewed 50 stakeholders, including patients and clinicians, to learn what is and is not working and to identify research topics for further study, as covered in a newly released report. Read the story

Just published: Betsy Lehman Center study of home care workers’ experiences during the pandemic

A study in Massachusetts exploring the impact of COVID-19 on the often-overlooked home care workforce is now available in the journal Patient Safety. Researchers used focus groups and surveys to learn more about the workers’ access to information as well as the trade-offs they considered as they attempted to keep themselves and the people they care for safe. Most workers reported worrying about getting infected with COVID and nearly 1-in-3 considered leaving home care work. Read the story

Upcoming events  “What Matters to Me” Research Study. Ariadne Labs and The Conversation Project seek participants for research on the What Matters to Me Workbook. You must be an adult with a serious illness, living with a family member/caregiver in a diverse community in Massachusetts. Apply by September 23. Learn more Compassion in Action. Offered by the Schwartz Center for Compassionate Healthcare, a series of virtual sessions extending through September. Sign up any time and get access to all recorded sessions. Now – September 30. Register here John M. Eisenberg Patient Safety and Quality Awards. From The Joint Commission and the National Quality Forum, the annual award recognizes major achievements by individuals and organizations to improve patient safety and health care quality. Now – September 30. Apply here Reducing Disparities; Improving Diagnosis. From the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, this conference will showcase developments in the field of diagnostic quality and safety while exploring how disparities and inequalities contribute to misdiagnosis and diagnostic delays. October 25 – 27. Learn more

Patient Safety Beat is published by the Betsy Lehman Center, a Massachusetts state agency that supports providers, patients and policymakers working together to advance the safety and quality of health care.

BetsyLehmanCenterMA.gov

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