HRET Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship

I had the absolute honor of addressing the HRET American Hospital Association and National Patient Safety Foundation Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship last week. I myself have submitted an application to work along side the most committed group of people in this country when it comes to patient safety.

My presentation was almost 3 hours if you consider the 45 minutes my colleague Ken discussed compassionate communication. Being a small group, there was plenty of interactive discussion and sharing. They mostly shared their commitment to their patients and their patient’s safety, but when I returned home, I received heartfelt e-mails about their own experience with medical injury to themselves or their families. It really does support my claim that it isn’t “if” you or someone in your family has experienced harm, it is “when”.

I hope my presentation reached some of them to consider patient safety as a lifestyle, not just a job. I was pleased that NY City Health and Hospital Corporation played such a big role as participants in this program as they met in NY City as part of their year long commitment to the program.

Unfortunately, no one from any of the many Long Island hospitals participated in this years Patient Safety Leadership Fellowship. This may just be a reason I can worry using the hospitals in my own community.