London hospital hosts patient safety summit
Wednesday August 29, 2007 -- Natalie Miller
London-area healthcare professionals are invited to learn more about hospital patient safety initiatives and national strategies at an upcoming summit.

London Health Sciences Centre hosts the patient safety conference on Wednesday, Oct. 24 at the Four Points Sheraton in London.  

“We’ve opened it up to the entire region of southwestern Ontario,” says Ellen Rosen, chair of the London Health Sciences Centre’s Patient Safety Council and vice-president of Women and Children's Services.

“It’s shaping up to be an excellent day.”

The conference is of interest to administrative leaders, professional practice leaders, frontline staff and physicians. It’s intended to provide attendees with “concentrated learning for one day” on issues surrounding patient safety.

Participants can except to learn more about national patient safety strategies, an initiative called ‘Patient WalkRoundsTM,’ which involves management talking to the frontline about safety issues on a regular basis, and also hear from a family who will share its story.

The summit will feature speakers including Phil Hassan, CEO of the Canadian Patient Safety Institute, Dr. Allan Frankel, Director of Patient Safety of Partners Health Care System in Boston and Dr. Kevin Leonard of the Centre for Global eHealth Innovation.

Organizers say the summit is an ideal forum to “advocate and champion safe patient care for every patient, every day.”

The conference is one initiative of the London Health Sciences Centre’s Patient Safety Council, formed about 18 months ago.

For more information, e-mail heni.dykstra@lhsc.on.ca.