Developing tools that change the “way we do things”; tools that push us into partnering with patients and families is our desire.

We all tasted the “Patient and Family Centered Care Tonic” and understand that supporting Patient and Family Centered Care improves the Safety and Quality of the care we deliver.  Professing involvement of patients and families by writing it into our mission statements and advertising is easier than the practice and engagement by the clinical staff.

Some hospitals advertise that they are Patient and Family Centered, however still have visiting hours that do not accommodate patients and family needs.  Nursing Bedside Change of Shift Rounds is another way of encouraging and including patients in the partnering and knowledge exchange.  Again, an easy tool to implement, however, sometimes difficult to sell to clinical staff that prefer he “old way of doing things” – behind closed doors and not involving patients and families. 

A unique tool that Memorial Healthcare System has developed and dispenses to all our in-patients everyday in all six hospitals is a medication record that is patient and family friendly.  The record was designed and has been redesigned, with great input from our Patient Advisory Committees.  Each day, the nurses deliver and explain the patient’s medication (generic and trade name), the dose, the time the medication is to be given and indication if this is a first time the medication is given.

With this tool, patients have “caught” potential medication errors, questioned medications, discussed such items as interactions, etc.  This patient/family friendly medication record provides our patients with a tool and arms them with knowledge and therefore an implement for discussion and query.  We have had some amazing near misses, and yes the patient can question us, but, isn’t that what we want?  We want patients and families that are familiar with their medications long before the minute of discharge and we want the entire hospital stay to be an ongoing educational event.

Showing the patients’ their various potential pain medication regimes has helped the patient determine what is and is not working for them.  Again, does transparency result in more questions and honesty – absolutely.  However, if we are to get on board with partnering with our patients and take the time to listen and explain we will all be able to improve our outcomes and the environment of Safety and Quality.