Search the hub
Showing results for tags 'Canada'.
Found 66 results
-
Content ArticleAccording to the World Health Organization (WHO), medication harm accounts for 50% of the overall preventable harm in medical care. As well as telling the story of Melissa Sheldrick, who has been campaigning to improve medication safety since her son Andrew died as a result of a medication error, this blog looks at how making it 'safe-to-say' can reduce the risk of medication errors. Healthcare systems need a culture shift that makes it safe-to-say when something has gone wrong, is going wrong, or could go wrong. The authors argue that it is only when errors are appropriately managed, reported, responded to and learned from that we can improve the system as a whole, support people impacted to heal and take informed action to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
-
Content ArticleThis editorial in BMJ Quality & Safety looks at the need for urgent improvement in the test result management and communication process in primary care. The authors highlight the inconsistency in tracking and communicating test results and look at potential solutions to reduce the patient safety risks associated with test results. They look at the evidence surrounding automated alerts built into provider IT systems and giving patient direct access to test results through apps, highlighting the growing importance of patients in safeguarding their own care through actively pursuing test results.
-
Content ArticleSafety conversations are an important step in building a proactive patient safety culture. They’re a respectful discussion about safety between two or more people involved in organising, delivering, and seeking or receiving care. This collection of tools and resources, from quick tip sheets to comprehensive reports and frameworks, aims to help healthcare professionals to have effective safety conversations and support safer care of older adults.
-
Content ArticleMany seniors remain unaware that certain medications may be harmful, despite high rates of polypharmacy and inappropriate medication use among community-dwelling older adults. Patient education is an effective method for reducing the use of inappropriate medications. Increasing public awareness and engagement is essential for promoting shared decision-making to deprescribe. The Canadian Deprescribing Network was created to address the lack of a systematic pan-Canadian initiative to implement deprescribing among older Canadians. The Canadian Deprescribing Network deliberately included patient advocates in its organisation from the outset, in order to ensure a key strategic focus on public awareness and education. In this paper, Turner et al. present the processes and activities rolled out by the Canadian Deprescribing Network as a blueprint model for engaging the public on deprescribing.
-
Content Article
CPSI: Keeping seniors safe (15 May 2020)
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Older people
The goal of this virtual discussion is to explore practical solutions for keeping seniors safe. The ideas are drawn from real life experiences noting how COVID-19 impacted seniors, their loved ones as well as healthcare workers and leaders. The focus of the discussion is on identifying safety risks together with practical solutions for seniors who live at home, in residences and long-term care facilities. Watch the webinar on demand and download the slides. -
Content ArticleThis interactive webinar was part of the world tour series designed by the World Health Organization's Patients for Patient Safety (PFPS) Global Network and hosted by Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the patient-led program of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, a WHO Collaborating Centre on Patient Safety and Patient Engagement. Watch on demand and download slides from the webinar.
-
Content ArticleAs patients and families impacted by harm, we imagine progressive approaches in responding to patient safety incidents – focused on restoring health and repairing trust. We can change how we respond to healthcare harm by shifting the focus away from what happened, towards who has been affected and in what way. This is your opportunity to hear about innovative approaches in Canada, New Zealand, and the United States that appreciate these human impacts. This interactive webinar was hosted by Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the patient-led program of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute and the Canadian arm of the World Health Organization Patients for Patient Safety Global Network. View the webinar on demand and download the slides.
-
Content ArticleWhen a patient's safety is compromised, or even if someone just comes close to having an incident, you need to know you are taking the right measures to address it, now and in the future. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) provides you with practical strategies and resources to manage incidents effectively and keep your patients safe. This integrated toolkit considers the needs and concerns of patients and their families, and how to properly engage them throughout the process. Drawn from the best available evidence and expert advice, this newly designed toolkit is for those responsible for managing patient safety, quality improvement, risk management, and staff training in any healthcare setting.
-
Content ArticleThis report represents the collective work of the National Patient Safety Consortium to identify, for the first time, a list of 15 never events for hospital care in Canada. Never events are patient safety incidents that result in serious patient harm or death and that are preventable using organisational checks and balances. Never events are not intended to reflect judgment, blame or provide a guarantee; rather, they represent a call-to-action to prevent their occurrence. But a list of never events won’t solve anything on its own. For it to have meaning, we need to take deliberate steps to identify when they occur, and harness the knowledge in hospitals across the country to prevent never events from happening. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) encourages a culture of continuous quality improvement — where mistakes are openly reported, disclosure occurs routinely and open discussion and problem solving are encouraged — with patients and families as full and active participants.
-
Content ArticleFamily members are a vital part of the healthcare team and are often best positioned to recognize the sometimes subtle, yet very important changes in their loved one's condition that may indicate deterioration. You may not know WHAT is wrong, but you know something just isn't right. Empower yourself and your loved ones with the following information and resources from the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI). They will both help you recognize the signs of deteriorating patient condition, and effectively discuss your concerns with the healthcare provider.
-
Content ArticleEmpower yourself with information and tools to help you ask good questions, connect with the right people, and learn as much as you can to keep you or a family member safe while receiving healthcare. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) have created a 'Questions Are the Answer' toolkit to help you effectively prepare for making decisions about medical treatment options by asking the right questions of your healthcare team. It considers topics for before, during, and after appointments, using past, present, and future medicines, medical tests, and surgeries.
-
Content Article
CPSI: Five questions to ask about your medications
Patient Safety Learning posted an article in Medication
For patients who require multiple medications or who are transitioning between treatments, safety can become a concern. You or your loved one may be at risk of fragmented care, adverse drug reactions, and medication errors. To be an active partner in your health, you need the right information to use your medications safely. The Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI) has teamed up with the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada, Patients for Patient Safety Canada, the Canadian Pharmacists Association, and the Canadian Society for Hospital Pharmacists to create a list of top questions to help patients and their caregivers have a conversation about medications with their healthcare provider. -
Content ArticleThis population-based study of all Ontario nursing home residents found increased prescribing of psychotropic drugs at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic that persisted through September 2020. Increases in prescribing were out of proportion to expected secular trends, and distinct from observed prescribing changes in other drugs during the pandemic. The authors suggest that the findings underscore the urgency of balancing infection prevention and control measures in nursing homes with the mental wellbeing of residents.
-
Content Article
Engage with impact toolkit (October 2021)
Patient-Safety-Learning posted an article in Patient engagement
The Engage with Impact Toolkit was designed to help organisations evaluate the impact of their patient, family and caregiver engagement programs and activities. It was developed in Canada by a Working Group of patient, family and caregiver partners, health system researchers, engagement leads and government personnel, led by Dr Julia Abelson and the Public and Patient Engagement Collaborative at McMaster University. The Toolkit has been developed as a series of five modules, each of which includes background information, tasks to complete, resources and other support. -
Content ArticleRather than measuring how safe care is, the focus is often on measuring levels of harm in healthcare systems. This report by Healthcare Excellence Canada outlines findings from a research study which aimed to answer, “How safe is care from the perspective of patients, families, care partners, and care providers?” Through a literature review, interviews, focus groups and a World Café wthe study aimed to increase understanding of how patients and their care partners view safety. The Measuring and Monitoring of Safety Framework (MMSF) (Vincent et al., 2013b) was used to guide the study. The MMSF offers a broader, more comprehensive and real-time view of patient safety and helps shift away from a focus on past cases of harm towards current performance, future risks and organisational resilience. The report concludes that the MMSF represents a critical shift in how patients can enable safer care. Inviting patients and care partners to contribute meaningfully to safety will enhance healthcare providers’ view of harm and understanding of what it means to feel safe.
-
Content ArticleThis cross-sectional survey in the BMJ Open aimed to examine the sociodemographic characteristics, activities, motivations, experiences, skills and challenges of patient partners working across multiple health system settings in Canada. This survey was the first of its kind to examine the characteristics, experiences and dynamics of a large sample of self-identified patient partners at a population level. Although patient partners who took part were from similar sociodemographic background, the scope, intensity and longevity of their roles varied. Respondents predominantly identified as female (76.6%), white (84%) and university educated (70.2%). Primary motivations for becoming a patient partner were the desire to improve the health system based on either a negative (36.2%) or positive (23.3%) experience. Respondents reported feeling enthusiastic (83.6%), valued (76.9%) and needed (63.3%) always or most of the time. Just under half felt they had always or often been adequately compensated in their role.
