Expanding the Patient Safety Paradigm: Engaging Minority Communities in Safer Healthcare

Deborah Washington, PhD, RNSeptember 11, 2012

AHRQ Annual Meeting

To Support Healing and Restore Hope to Patients, Families, and Clinicians Following Adverse Medical Events

Definition Medically induced trauma is the emotional toll

that results from an adverse medical event that occurs during medical and/or surgical care. An adverse medical event is an injury (physical, psychological, or both) that is due to a medical intervention. It may or may not be an error, but is an undesirable outcome that results from some aspect of diagnosis or treatment, not an underlying disease process. Most importantly, these events affect the emotional well being of the patient, family member, and/or clinician involved.

Why Culture Matters

“This is the health field. Once you come to work and put on that name badge, whatever personal beliefs or opinions you have about other people and cultures, should be left behind. That has to be understood. You have to leave it outside. There are a lot of grouchy doctors and nurses walking around here”.

Cultural Competence &

Patient Safety

Language as efficiency tool Cultural Awareness to

defensive medicine Cultural Competence to

“strong arming”

Training

Patient Centered Care

Individualized Care Culturally informed decision

making A “Regular” piece of work

Barriers to engaging minorities in patient safety

Belief in a “cover up” mentality No identifiable proactive measures No open dialogue on the issue of patient

safety and the minority community Insufficient training and provider

awareness of the minority patient experience

Defensive stance of providers Language barriers complicate care. Time constraints Egocentric healthcare system. Disparities & Patient Safety complex task

Getting The Community There

Partnered with professional associations – (NERBNA) and (NAHN) –

Held the event at an urban location

Contacted 26 community health centers (CHCs).

Social media, websites, snowball advertising

Keynotes from minority serving hospital and organizations

Opportunities for engaging minorities in patient safety and culturally competent

care

Minority groups can be part of efforts to improve patient safety and culturally competent care, including new immigrants, professional organizations, churches, retired clinicians etc.

A new state law requires that a patient and family advisory council be established at each hospital in Massachusetts since October, 2010, offering new opportunities for patient engagement in safer healthcare, and more accountability in healthcare delivery. These Patient and Family Advisory Councils must include members of the diverse community where the hospital is situated.

Continuing the Work

$5,000 monetary prize

Can the MITSS model be adapted and implemented in other communities around the country?