A strong commitment to patient safety.

Hospitals, hospital systems, and many national and state organizations are committed to enhancing patient safety through participating in new programs currently underway. National organizations such as JCAHO (Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations), ISMP (Institute for Safe Medication Practices), IOM (Institute of Medicine), employer groups like Leapfrog, hospital systems such as HCA, and hospitals like West Hills Hospital are continually improving methods to insure patient safety. By being committed to continuously reviewing and improving hospital procedures, we can provide a safer environment for patients.

The future of medicine will involve medications that are becoming more numerous and complex. The Joint Commission's 2003 National Patient Safety Goals include improving the safety of using high-alert medications. HCA, a 200-hospital system that includes West Hills Hospital, has been deeply committed to patient safety issues for years focusing on local plans to improve hospital medication practices.

For West Hills Hospital & Medical Center, patient safety issues are a priority and commitment to maintaining a high level of vigilance concerning patient safety issues is part of the hospital culture. Technologies such as bar-coding and electronic medication ordering have been implemented. Patients are fitted with a bar coded arm band designed to help the nursing staff and physicians better manage their medications. Before a patient is given any medication, the nurse can scan the patient's bar-coded wrist band with a hand-held scanner and determine if the medication is the correct drug at the proper dose, if the medication interacts with any other medication the patient may be taking, and if the patient has any allergies to the medication. Scanning identifies patient and their medications, and precisely match medications with physicians' orders. Wireless computer technology allows medications transactions to occur more accurately at the patient's bedside thereby reducing the chances for errors. Industry studies have indicated that using bar-coding and scanning technology can reduce medication errors by 75% to 80%. This is significant given that the average patient receives more than 10 medications a day.

The next step in using technology for patient safety is improving the hospital computer system by adding the ability of direct physician order entry into the patient profiles. By eliminating hand-written medication orders, illegible or incomplete orders are reduced, and the entire process of delivering a medication to patients is greatly enhanced. Additionally, using wireless technology (as in hand-held computers) for accessing patient records, and having the capability of entering patient medication orders from physicians' offices or other remote locations can further reduce the potential for errors. Plans for implementing ePOM (electronic Provider Order Management) are scheduled for 2004.

Patients can also do their part to ensure safety by becoming an active participant in their care. Patients should be asking questions such as: "What is my medication for? What is it going to do for me? What are the side effects?" These questions should be asked in the hospital setting as well as in the doctor's office.

This article was provided by West Hills Hospital & Medical Center, located at 7300 Medical Center. Drive, in West Hills. For more information, call 818/676-4000 or visit www.westhillshospital.com.