MHRI Teaches "We Want to Know" for Patient Safety in Real Time

Each week, MedStar leaders and associates receive a "Good Catch of the Week". I was pleased to see that this week's safety catch was from a member of our health services research team, working on our We Want to Know program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H829z3IXGDQ&feature=youtu.be
Integrating patients and families into patient safety is a necessity if we want to continue moving towards zero harm. The We Want to Know research program currently being deployed across MedStar in support of the Interdisciplinary Model of Care (IMOC) efforts is designed to make it easy for patients and their family members to speak-up when care isn't going as well as they expected. Talk about Deference to Expertise!!  (Reminder - Deference to Expertise is one of the five principles of HROs that says we defer to the person with the most knowledge relevant to the issue being confronted).

Our patients and our families often have the most knowledge but too often in healthcare, we forget this. By proactively leveraging patient and family knowledge through the We Want to Know program, we continue to make care better for our patients.


Learn more about the We Want to Know progam at MedStar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H829z3IXGDQ&feature=youtu.be


Today's Good Catch is from MedStar Health Research Institute

Guest Author: Kimberly L. Cockey, Quality and Safety Research

As the We Want to Know (WWTK) Specialist at Franklin Square, I have the privilege of speaking to our many diverse patients and their families. Following is a story that came from a recent WWTK interview and highlights what is special about MedStar. 


I was having a typical day, going from room to room, asking patients how they felt about their care. In one particular room, I received a polite invitation from a small voice in the recliner across the room. I introduced myself and the WWTK program, and asked the patient about her stay. She said she was happy with her care, and reported that her care team was doing a great job. What she was really concerned about was whether or not she would be discharged by Friday.  


"You see," she said, "Friday is my 100th birthday, and I must be out of here because I have plans to celebrate." She was very excited as she filled me in on her birthday plans. She then proudly showed off a large birthday card that was signed by everyone at her church. 


At the end of the day, I documented my interview with the patient in an email to unit and hospital leadership. Based on a single sentence about her birthday in my email, MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center associates rallied to celebrate her birthday. Hospital leadership requested a cake, Food and Nutrition Services ordered it, and leaders and staff came together to present her with the cake and sing "Happy Birthday." She received well wishes from all over the hospital. I am happy to report that the patient was discharged in time to make it to her evening festivities.


Her family shared with us the following message: "Thank you for making her 100th birthday special...and for getting her transferred and settled for the family celebration. Also for the treatment and care she received during her stay with you."

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