Welcome to a Free Patient Safety Course, Created and Developed by Patient Safety Leader and PULSE member Dr. William Wright.  
This Course is registered as Public Domain and not to be altered, sold or used in any way for the profit of individuals or institutions. 

VERSI
ON # 073006
“Surviving Your Healthcare Experience”
(An Introduction to Patient Safety)
SESSION PLANS - 2006-07
Curriculum Designed by William C.Wright, EdD. in
collaboration with Peter F. Libby, RN and Anne W. Ryan,
RN, MSN, MPH. To be offered at Chesapeake College,
Wye Mills, Maryland.
(Bill Wright's email address: justapatient@verizon.net)
Course Description: A course to introduce and engage
members of the general public and volunteer advocates in
the issues and techniques of advancing patient safety for
themselves, their families and friends. Students can learn
successful measures which they can use to assess and
reduce the risks of avoidable medical errors in their homes,
in the hospital and other healthcare settings. Students will
become familiar with rudimentary research skills and
finding available internet and library resources that will
help them make safer healthcare decisions.
Course Objectives:
( 1.) To inform potential patients of the primary survival
skills in safe healthcare practices. ( 2. ) To furnish patients
with the knowledge of the application of safety skills in
their personal exposure to medical treatment. ( 3.) To
train patients to utilize all available resources in their safe
healthcare. ( 4.) To empower patients to make and
assert safer healthcare decisions.
SESSION - BY - SESSION PLAN
"Surviving Your Healthcare Experience"
Session #1 “To safer healthcare for all”
Introductions: The Instructor and Collaborators. Bill
Wright,
Peter Libby and Anne Ryan. “Why we’re here.”
Student Self-Introductions: “Who you are”. “Any personal
or family medical episodes” (One minute each, please) and
. “Why THIS course?”
Why this course is being OFFERED - Some thoughts by
Bill Wright
How are we going to do this together? Trace the sessionby-
session plan.
Pause for Q & A
[Standard Exactly 7 minute “Break”]
(All classroom instructions preceded by the term
“Standard”
shall apply to ALL class sessions during the term)
National Error Episodes: Betsy Lehman, Josie King,
Maryland News Report and introduction to Pamela Gallin’s
“story” from our textbook: How to Survive Your Doctor’s
Care. Followed by a quick reprise of her book
.
Capsule of American Issues and the Global Challenge: “To
Err is Human” (1999 IOM Report), results of IHI’s 100K
Campaign, and “A Global Challenge”
Page 2
Reading Assignment for next week: Chapters 1 and 2 in
Dr.
Gallin’s book
Standard weekly Housekeeping Bulletins.
STANDARD QUESTION AND ANSWER
PERIOD
FROM MEMBERS OF THE CLASS
Go to lunch and eat safely!
Session # 2 “What’s the Problem?”
Greetings and quick Q & A and updates.
Making your best decisions on "Choosing A
Hospital"
[Standard 7 Minute Break]
The "Joint Commission for Accrediting
Healthcare
(JCAHO)", or often called “Jayco".
JCAHO's Mission
JCAHO's "Speak Up Program"
JCAHO’s 2007 National Patient Safety Goals
For Hospitals, 10 National Goals and “UP1"
Assignment: Read Gallin’s Chapter 3, “Getting
the Best from Your Primary Care Doctor”. Got
one? -
Get all his/her contact phone numbers, incl.
Cell
Phone and Pager. Don’t have one? Start
process
to find one. Complete Process prior to Session
#4.
SESSION #3 “How Bad Can it Get?”
Greetings, quick Q & A, and updates
REVIEW OF JCAHO’S
“Reported Sentinel Event Statistics: as of December 31.
2005"
“What’s a ‘Sentinel Event’ ?”
Class Discussion.......
Mission of the AGENCY FOR HEALTHCARE
RESEARCH
AND QUALITY (AHRQ), a federal agency under Health
and Human Services
Review of the “30 Safe Practices for Better Health Care”
as
formulated by the AHRQ in March 2005.
#1 - Creating a Culture of Safety
[Standard 7 minute Break]
Review of some terms used in Patient Safety.
Complete review of “Safe Practices”
[Distibution of “My Personal Medical Journal” by NPSF]]
Quick Review of personal data collection.
ASSIGNMENT: Complete as much of "MPMJ" as
possible.
AND read Gallin’s Chapter 11, “The Patient Advocate”
SESSION #4 “My doctor will keep me
safe, right?”
Reviewing the role of the “Primary Care Physician”
1. As the “docs” put it.
2. As you know it - a patient’s view, yours.
Reviewing the role of the "Patient Advocate”
What you can do for a loved one.
[Standard 7 minute Break]
The Concept and Role of a “Healthcare Navigator”
Getting a ‘second opinion’.
[Distribute copies of “Patient’s Bedside Journal” (PBJ)]
ASSIGNMENT: Insert permanent personal data in ink
and
dynamic information in pencil. Scan the pages of the
PBJ. Write down your questions for next class.
SESSION #5 “What the Heck are
‘Shiftees’ ?”
Applications and Utility of the “Patient’s
Bedside Journal”
THE BEDSIDE JOURNAL
Students quiz the Editor and the Instructor
[Standard 7 minute break]
Experts quiz the students. “How will the
“Patient’s Bedside Journal” help prevent
medical errors
[Distribute “Resources for Medical Institutions,
Clinicians and Health Care Consumers”]
ASSIGNMENT: Scan your “Resources” index.
Then try to find one solid factual explanation
of a medical condition.
SESSION #6 “What did you find out?”
[EXPLORING RELIABLE SOURCES OF
INFORMATION]
Utilizing available, reliable resources and
studies about doctors, hospitals, clinics and
nursing homes. Vetting these studies.
Finding online and telephone sources of relevant
information about local hospitals, physicians
and medical specialists, including ratings and
rankings.
Using the Web and the Internet to learn more
about your physical symptoms, problems,
diseases and treatments.
[Standard 7 minute Break]
Availability of medical records, laboratory tests,
imaging reports and xrays, and treatment plans.
HIPAA and your legal rights to access records.
Legal Implications and Advance Directives:
Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, and "Do No
Resuscitate" (DNR) orders
Other "End-of-Life" issues.
Assignment: Compose or find a funny joke
about being to the hospital or going to Heaven.
SESSION #7 “What do I do
now?”
Let's Hear a few jokes about hospitals
or going to Heaven! Instructor starts
first.
This Session: "Making Safer
Healthcare Decisions."
Your role in being a participating member of
your healthcare team.
What is the nature of the human relationship
between you and your attending
physician/surgeon?
Does he/she consider you a “contributing
member” of your treatment.
YOUR PATIENT RIGHTS As stated in your
state,
professional, national, and international
statements.
[Standard 7 minute Break]
If you’re a victim of medical mistakes, then
what?
Bill Wright’s “Seven Percent Solution”
Analysis of facts and better skills in
communication and critical decision-making.
ASSIGNMENT FOR LAST CLASS: Prepare
written answers to the 3 questions as proposed
in Session #8 about your personal safety as a
patient. (One paragraph per question, please.)
SESSION #8
“There’s just you and me, Kid”
CARING FOR OURSELVES AND OTHERS
Round-Robin Discussion of the three
questions:
1. What can I do now to make my hospital
experience safe?
2. What’s the first thing I would do when my
Best Friend is admitted to the hospital
3. How am I better equipped now to have a
safer healthcare experience in the
future?
[Last Standard 7 minute Break]
Just a few reminders:
“PATIENT EXPECTATIONS” 100% OF THE
TIME’ - James Conway, IHI and Harvard
"MAKING AMENDS" - Bill Wright
Closing Comments: Spreading the "word" about
Patient Safety.
Special Awards
Thanks for you attention. May your healthcare
always be safe and may ALL your expectations
in life turn out just the way you wanted them to.