Wishard Health Services Joins National Patient Safety Initiative

Contact:  Michelle O’Keefe
Phone: (317) 630-6863
Pager: (317) 310-5972

Indianapolis, December 23, 2009 – Wishard Health Services has joined a new national patient safety effort to ensure the continuation of safe, high-quality care for all patients who depend on publicly supported healthcare institutions for medical care.
The Patient Safety Initiative at America’s Public Hospitals is a two-year program designed to enhance patient safety programs at public hospitals. Supported by funding from Kaiser Permanente and the backing of the National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF) and the National Association of Public Hospitals (NAPH), Wishard is one of 42 public hospitals selected for the first phase of the program.
 “This initiative provides Wishard the opportunity to participate along with our nation’s other public hospitals in improving the quality and safety of healthcare to those who need us most in our communities,” said Lee Ann Blue, chief nursing officer and executive vice president of patient care services at Wishard Health Services.
Some of the goals of the initiative are to position public hospitals on the leading edge of patient safety and quality care; establish a consistent and shared pool of patient safety techniques; and develop a community of public hospital clinicians, patient safety and quality leaders, and hospital executives committed to the effort.
Participating hospitals represent diverse geographic locations and include single hospitals and larger systems, as well as those with emerging patient safety and quality efforts and those with more advanced programs such as Wishard’s.
“The most important thing we can do for our patients is ensure that their safety is always our focus,” said Crissy Lough, patient safety officer and director of quality and risk management for 
Wishard Health Services. “Being selected for this program gives us even greater access to resources and expertise from across the country, which will allow us to further enhance our continuous efforts around patient safety at Wishard.”
Key focus areas for the program include enhancing the culture and leadership, infrastructure 
and measurement capabilities, and metrics for evidence in improving patient safety and outcomes at each of the participating facilities. Participating organizations will have access to multiple resources including membership in the highly-acclaimed NPSF Stand Up for Patient Safety program, NPSF Patient Safety Congress registrations, health literacy and communications tools, measurement and analysis tools, and opportunities to apply for Patient Safety Leadership Fellowships.
"This unique partnership with Kaiser Permanente and NAPH is a remarkable opportunity for NPSF to contribute to the pursuit and delivery of safe care for the tens of millions of patients who depend on America's public hospitals each year," said Diane Pinakiewicz, president of NPSF. "We have deep respect and admiration for the commitment, determination, and skill of those at the forefront of care in safety net hospitals across the nation, and feel privileged to do our part, through NPSF patient safety programs and resources, to support their meaningful work.”