New Patient Safety Program Unveiled

[NEW YORK: October 9, 2009] PULSE of New York has launched a new patient safety tool to help stamp out medical errors. The program, called FILMS, focuses on five areas in health care where most errors and injuries occur. FILMS stands for Falls, Infections, Literacy, Medication and Surgery.

Developed by PULSE of NY President Ilene Corina, information about FILMS helps patients protect themselves from medical errors by participating in their own care. "What's gotten lost in the debate on healthcare reform is the need to improve the quality of care and patient safety. PULSE of NY is trying to build a stronger culture of safety by educating people before they have a medical problem. We hope that information about FILMS will encourage people to speak up in the doctor's office and the hospital rooms," Corina said.

FILMS education offers prevention tips on:

Falls - In hospitals, falls can result in hip replacement and other injuries that can lead to hospital-acquired complications. Families should ask that rolling carts be removed from hospital rooms and learn ways to assist the patient when needed.

Infections - PULSE of NY offers ways of reminding doctors to wash their hands before examining patients and helps families set limits on the number of visitors to prevent the spread of infections.

Literacy - How well patients understand their medical information and how well healthcare providers communicate it can shape medical outcomes. PULSE of NY encourages patients to speak up when they don't understand information about their healthcare.

Medication - Errors in medication kill more than 7000 patients and injure at least 1.5 million a year, according to a study by the Institute of Medicine. On average, a hospitalized patient is subject to one medication mistake a day.

Surgery - PULSE of NY outlines roles for families and patients prior to an operation, such as gathering information on a surgeon's track record and marking the site of surgery.

For more information about PULSE of NY, visit www.pulseofny.org

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PULSE of NY is a nonprofit 501 (c) 3 organization dedicated to raising awareness about patient safety and reducing medical errors through advocacy, education, and support. We work to empower the public to make informed decisions, increase effective communication and respect between healthcare providers and the public, and create community partnerships that will foster and ultimately lead to safer healthcare environments. To learn about PULSE of NY go to www.pulseofny.org or visit www.pulseamerica.org to see if there is a PULSE near you.