Patient safety emphasizes efforts to reduce and prevent the negative outcomes of medical care. Preventable medical errors are symptomatic of deeper problems in our medical and political systems that affect patient well-being and increase the financial and human cost of care.
If this is the first time you’ve heard of patient safety it may be because there is a lack of public information about it, or that hospitals under-report incidences of medical harm at their facilities. It may be that politicians have not paid enough attention to the gaps in health care oversight and regulation, or that patient rights and education have not been prioritized.
As patients, we entrust others with our care and our lives, and we should feel confident our health and safety are regulated and prioritized. Make sure you know the facts and are ready to engage in calling for safer care for yourself and your loved ones.
FOR THE PATIENTs CAMPAIGN X DR. DEATH
Dr. Death explores patient safety through the tragic prism of one neurosurgeon’s meteoric rise and calamitous fall into infamy. While Christopher Duntsch was solely responsible for his actions, the entire medical system was responsible for enabling him, resulting in dozens of innocent lives being shattered.
The For The Patients campaign explores how our medical and legislative systems are addressing their core duty to heal and protect the public. Through content supported by research and expert advice, the campaign is a call to action for patient-centered care that empowers the public with the tools and resources they need to engage their doctors, medical institutions and political representatives.
Cast & Crew Weigh In
Patient Toolkit // Pamphlets
How do you make sure you are getting the safest care? When you know your rights as a patient and advocate for yourself, there’s an opportunity to improve how safe your care is. Download this pamphlet to learn more.
Getting the full scoop on your doctor should be as easy as looking up the best pizza spot in town, but that’s not always the case. Download this pamphlet to explore how to do your due diligence on your doctor.
It is not about just how good your doctor is. It is about the hospital system and how everyone who cares for you works together to keep you safe. Download this pamphlet to understand how to better research your hospital.
The healthcare system can be overwhelming and intimidating, but when you speak up about treatment that did not meet your expectations, you are doing your part to keep yourself and others safe. Download this pamphlet to take action and be part of the long-term solution.
RESOURCES
organizations
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the safety and quality of America's healthcare system.
AHRQ shares tips on questions to ask your provider and confidantly engage in your care.
PSAN is a coalition of individuals and organizations consisting of patients who have been medically harmed, their loved ones, and concerned advocates. PSAN focuses on and with patients to raise awareness and to create accountability, transparency and safer healthcare.
The Medical Board Roundtable, a PSAN committee, works to increase public awareness and responsiveness of state medical boards.
See here for a summary of State Medical Boards and actions.
A national movement for a safer, more affordable healthcare system. The ultimate goal of PSA is a national, enforced patient bill of rights not too different from the rights workers have to protect them from unsafe working conditions or minorities have to protect themselves from exploitation by the majority.
PSMF has developed a list of patent safety factsheets, tools and resources to help patients and their families prioritize safety.
PULSE is dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety and reducing medical errors through advocacy, education, and support.
IPI works to ensure the public availability and use of actionable information about health care quality, patient safety and affordability to improve quality and lower costs.
Mothers Against Medical Error works on a local, national, and global level to increase awareness of patient safety and medical harm, to support patients and families injured by their medical treatment, and to raise the voices of patients to improve the safety of the healthcare system.
Research
This 2021 report examines the extent to which state medical boards took actions between 2017 and 2019 to protect the public from licensed physicians who injure patients or behave inappropriately or illegally.
List of all licensing boards in each state, with websites and contact information. The Federation of State Medical Boards supports America's state medical boards in licensing, disciplining and regulating physicians and other health care professionals.
A guide that compares the organizations that grade and review hospitals and doctors. Developed by Jordan Derk, MPH and PhD student, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Dr. Matt Austin, PhD, Assistant Professor, Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality.
For people with Medicare or their caregivers, this tool provides a search and compare option to choose health care providers and facilities based on your individual needs and make more informed decisions about where you get your health care. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is the federal agency that runs the Medicare program
Consumer-friendly letter grade system evaluating more than 2,700 hospitals on patient safety measures such as infections, surgical complications, error prevention practices, and staffing. The Leapfrog Group is a national nonprofit organization driving a movement for giant leaps forward in the quality and safety of American health care.
ProPublica is an independent, nonprofit newsroom for investigative journalism.
The Vital Signs project provides information about health care providers including surgical performance, prescription patterns and medical device company payments. It is intended to help you get to know your health care provider better. Sign up for update notifications.
Equity Organizations
To read more about Health Equity, visit The Institute for HealthCare Improvement. IHI also offers courses for health care practitioners. IHI aims to improve health and healthcare worldwide.
The Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Health and Human Services ensures equal access to certain health and human services and enforces federal civil rights laws that protect the rights of individuals and entities from unlawful discrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin, disability, age, or sex in health and human services.
LingoHealth is a digital health platform for family members to better support their aging loved one's care in their preferred language. Designed to help patients, especially non-fluent English speakers, get to the most appropriate care site and better understand their health by engaging their family advocates. We provide task coordination for the whole family to support patients in implementing care plans at home, adhering to medication, finding a doctor, and making appointments — all in one place digitally.
The NAACP’s Health and Well Being Program targets Health Equity and is calling for an audit of all federal agencies to strengthen their civil rights and health equity efforts in implementing policies and programs.
AAPCHO members include many leading community health organizations focused on the Asian American community. They provide linguistically accessible, culturally appropriate and financially affordable primary health care services.
UnidosUS is a nationwide network of Hispanic serving community organizations, including community health centers.
Advocacy
Find your state legislature, senators and representatives to reach out to on issues of patient safety. Explore bills, news and key legislative dates and deadlines.
This template allows you to fill in details about yourself and within a few clicks, you'll be able to print it out and send it to your legislator. You can also copy and paste the text and send it via email by visiting your legislator's contact page on their website.
Books and Apps
DOING HARM:
The Truth About How Bad Medicine and Lazy Science
Leave Women Dismissed, Misdiagnosed and Sick ➤
Maya Dusenberry’s book is a scientific and sociological approach that weaves interviews with doctors and researchers, and personal stories from women across the country to provide a comprehensive look at how sexism in medicine harms women today.
JUST MEDICINE:
A Cure for Racial Inequality in American Health Care ➤
Using medical, neuroscience, psychological and sociology research, Dayna Bowen Matthew explores implicit bias and health disparities in the health care system. Matthews provides an innovative plan to eliminate inequalities in healthcare where over 84,000 black and brown lives are needlessly lost each year due to health disparities.
The AHRQ Question Builder App helps patients and caregivers prepare for medical appointments and maximize visit time. The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is the lead Federal agency charged with improving the safety and quality of America's health care system.
PATIENT SAFETY SOLUTIONS APP ➤
The Patient Safety Solutions App was designed to give access to all Actionable Patient Safety Solutions (APSS) when you’re on the go, giving you the ability to share content across your organization or your greater networks in healthcare.
Documentaries
Featured on TIME.com
This doc has been reviewed by medical journals and is widely distributed and discussed among the community of Patient Safety advocates.
2021 EVENTS // Key Patient Safety Dates
To offer hope, healing, and advocacy for safe healthcare - today and everyday.
Recognizing Unsafe Care: What it is and How to Report it.
World Patient Safety Day aims to raise global awareness about patient safety and calls for solidarity and united action by all countries and international partners to reduce patient harm. This year’s theme will focus on maternal and newborn care and safety. Approximately 810 women die every day from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth.
#uniteforsafecare campaign, from the Patient Safety Movement Foundation around World Patient Safety Day, is designed to bring global awareness to the lack of safety systems in health care.
Principal Organizations
PUBLIC CITIZEN
A nonprofit consumer advocacy organization that champions the public interest – your interests – in the halls of power. For over 50 years, PC has led the charge nationally on issues surrounding Patient Safety.
patient safety movement
The Patient Safety Movement Foundation believes reaching ZERO preventable patient harm and deaths across the globe by 2030 is not only the right goal, but an attainable one with the right people, ideas and technology.
SOZE
The Soze Agency is a full-service social impact agency committed to amplifying the authentic narrative of a vibrant global generation. We work with companies, non-profits, foundations and movements to bring the voices of those most affected by the social and environmental issues of our time to the forefront of public dialogue. Through our campaigns, events and creative content we work to shift the narrative that creates positive culture and drives change forward.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We would like to thank the passionate and dedicated individuals who provided essential information and guidance on the issues.
Matt Austin, PhD
Assistant Professor
Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute for Patient Safety and Quality
Jessica Chao
CEO & Founder, LingoHealth
Jordan Derk, MPH
PhD Student
Health Policy & Management//Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
Maya Dusenberry
Author
Doing Harm:The Truth About How Bad Medicine and
Lazy Science Leave Women Dismissed, MisDiagnosed and Sick
Helen Haskell
President
Mothers Against Medical Error
John James
Founder and Leader
Patient Safety America
Rex Johnson
Board Member and Co-Founder
Washington Advocates for Patient Safety
Lisa McGiffert
Leadership Committee
Patient Safety Action Network
Dr. Yanling Yu, Ph.D.
Board member, President and Co-Founder
Washington Advocates for Patient Safety
Kay Van Wey
Attorney at Law
Van Wey & Williams, PLLC
Dr. Ronald Wyatt
IHI Fellow
Patient Safety Officer
MCIC Vermont
Carol Cronin
Executive Director
Informed Patient Institute