How can patient advocates lead the charge for better patient safety?

"L'éducation est l'arme la plus puissante pour changer le monde", selon Nelson Mandela. Ainsi, en matière de prévention santé, les praticiens peuvent informer les patients et leur famille, ceci dans un cadre sécurisant en recueillant l'autoévaluation de ces derniers par des outils de communication adaptés à leur handicap. Le lien social permet de ne laisser personne sur le bord du chemin.

In my experience as a nurse, I've seen directly how investing time to educate clients and families enhances empowerment and communication, ultimately leading to improved outcomes and safety. For example, it may be tempting to breeze through education about expected side effects or adverse events during an immunization appointment. I've experienced this as a patient multiple times. However, providing key information to clients ensures they are informed, and prepared to recognize and report any adverse effects, a cornerstone of vaccine safety. In addition, education promotes confidence in vaccination and enhances overall public health.

Encouraging patients and families to have conversations about goals of care and the plan empowers them to participate in care and helps establish a relationship with providers so they become a team and recognize the whole team wants successful health outcomes.

Collaboration with patients provides the bridge towards therapeutic relationships that connect to the necessary education and safety management. Establishing the trust and connection to the whole person provides the foundation of care that opens the opportunity to develop an education plan that weaves safety into it

Patient advocates play a crucial role in promoting and improving patient safety.They are individuals or organizations that work to support and empower patients, raise awareness about patient safety issues, and advocate for changes in healthcare policies and practices to ensure safer care. By leading the charge for better patient safety, they can contribute to reducing medical errors,improving communication and transparency, and creating a culture of safety in healthcare settings. it can raise awareness about patient safety issues through various channels.They can organize community events, seminars, and workshops to educate the public, healthcare providers, and policymakers about patient safety risks,best practices, and available resources.

I agree, would like to also add ensuring proper employee training is done. I believe a lot of companies have moved into the mindset of filling a vacancy and have lacked on ensuring that training is appropriately done. This has lead to employees having not been trained on safe practices and then putting patients in harms way. This is as simple as ensuring that technicians know how to properly take vitals.

It is imperative for HCP’s to understand the social determinant of health that patients face each day. These barriers are multifaceted and need to be addressed accordingly. These go beyond transportation and food insecurities.

We are partnered with Patient Safety, Quality, Infection Prevention and Patient Experience. We work closely with our providers and nursing partners to investigate care concerns and find resolution and process improvement. While a family may come to an advocate first, our collaboration with key stakeholders brings better resolutions, transparency, and understanding goals of care and expectations.

Patient advocates play a vital role in educating healthcare professionals on respecting patients' autonomy and fostering a culture of empowerment. They encourage active listening to patients, emphasize the importance of asking questions, and support patients and their families in becoming informed partners in their care, promoting overall well-being and safety. This collaborative approach enhances the patient experience and improves healthcare outcomes.

Fast Health Interoperable Resource (FHIR) can play a critical role via data exchange in the interoperable format between Patients, Payers and Providers to ensure that the patients have access to the longitudinal health record via click of a button to ensure the improved health decision making.

Advocating for improved practice and policies facilitates upstream solutions to broad spectrum challenges, including educating healthcare providers, patients, their families, and public health.

This is such an important topic as we know the importance of safety and trust. In some way or another we have been or will be a patient. We need to ensure patients are protected. It is imperative to ensure they have a set at the table in decisions in their care. Patients are key opinion leaders (KOL’s) as they know first hand how they would like to be treated. We have to educate healthcare staff on the dangers of implicit biases and neglect. This leads to poor patient outcomes and in some cases death. These discussions need to be transparent and include policy to protect patients rights which governs their care.

In my opinion, being apart of the policy-making process can help to create policies that are more representative of your patient population and needs. It helps to consider upstream challenges that could cause issues later.

An example would be reminding others about hand hygiene and leading by example when coming and going from patient rooms. Participating in Grievance Committees. Recruiting members of our community for our Patient and Family Advisory Council. Understand the community you serve through education , health inequities, and being inclusive for all members which may include Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leaders. Learn more about who our community members are and how to show up for them.

Organizational systems are put in place to keep things flowing but sometimes those systems are a hindrance to meeting the needs of my patients. As an advocate, my goal is to be the human touch between those policies and practices keeping my patient's record progressing and speaking up and for my patient's when policies and practices are not aligning with accomplishing my patient's goal.

The healthcare system can be overwhelming for patients to navigate, often leading to patients feeling intimidated to ask questions regarding all aspects of their care. Patient advocates empower patients by helping educate patients throughout their care journey, which ensures the patient can ask the right questions and participate in shared decision making. For example, a patient that doesn’t understand their insurance benefits and is too scared to ask questions, might later be met with unexpected financial consequences which lead to stress and anxiety over financials that can impact treatment adherence, etc.

Advocating for policies and best practices in patient care and safety empowers patients and families by fostering transparency, communication, and shared decision-making. As these policies emphasize informed consent, clear communication of treatment options, and respect for patient preferences, patients became more actively involved in their healthcare journey. This empowerment is furthered by the implementation of safety protocols that reduce the risk of adverse events and fostered confidence. By advocating for practices that prioritize patient well-being, you contribute to a healthcare environment where patients and their families feel informed, engaged, and confident in actively participating in decisions about their care.

The health system can be a disempowering environment for people who are at their most vulnerable times in their life. Patient advocates can empower people to be able to have access to safe, inclusive and equitable health support and intervention.

I agree because when you empower patients you give them tools of a life time. Their voice are heard and they make informed decisions.

Education is key to patient empowerment which drives patient safety. Patients must learn and understand their rights and that they can and should ask questions regarding their care, who is caring for them, and express any safety concerns they may have. By speaking up, patients learn, understand, and follow up on the particulars of their condition and are empowered to make the best and safest decisions for themselves.

Be in the moment. Listen and ensure you understand the concerns that are voiced. Always follow through. Families and patients like to share who they are when someone is listening and they are feeling heard and respected. Sometimes you have to think outside of the box to craft a resolution appropriate for your patients and families. Manage up your providers and associates. Expressing confidence that they provide excellent care can extend the trust you have built to caregivers. Do not be afraid to include patients and families in a meeting with care teams Providers are also patients and family members and with a pre-planned, coordinated agenda, this can be a very positive and productive way to communicate.

In my experience as a patient advocate and a patient with a complex medical diagnosis, trust and rapport required medical staff to see the patient as a human being deserving respect and professionalism. Trust is developed by having a collaborative relationship with the medical team.

Very important aspect in the current social scenario…. where patients are not aware of their rights or even accountability of medical systems on the prognosis or treatment is minimal and often never asked for

Yes building trust and rapport Is very vital inorder to win their confidentiality,comfortability and care. By first building a good rapport with patient and his family they will feel free and safe with you to express their emotions.

Also by building trust with patients, they will take on-board more of what you say so if its a safety policy the patient is more likely to adhere to it because they trust you. Advocating the patients concerns and providing legitimate answers will show the patient you are dependable which is imperative to trust building. Remember to be human, health is a serious subject.

Patients are an amazing wealth of knowledge. First we must understand they want empathy not sympathy for what they are going through because in most cases they are resilient. Their shared experience help shape safety. Patient advocates play a crucial role in championing better patient safety by bringing a unique and impactful perspective to the forefront. Beyond policy and initiatives, their experiences and insights serve as a powerful catalyst for real-world change. Patient advocates actively contribute to advancing health equity by shedding light on disparities and advocating for inclusive healthcare practices. Their voice in research and development ensures innovation.

Think about your failures and what you learned from them. Never forget your connect to purpose that drives you to strive for success. Use self awareness and emotional intelligence skills to stay in the moment for those that depend on you.

Listening to the patients/families complaints and keeping them informed about the outcomes, ongoing investigations,progress,feedbacks about their complaints.

I belief in getting More investigation on a patient before medication is prescribe. To many patients get frustrated because they don't really understand what they are going through so education will solve a lot of patients issues. Another big aspect is the cost of patient's care especially in Ireland. Some have insurance but still pay high fees in consultant surgeries whereas in public care centres its free but long waiting list to be seen by same consultant who collect high fees in private centres.