HIROC partners for patient safety week PSA
Wednesday October 10, 2007 -- Jason Thompson
To commemorate Canadian Patient Safety Week, the Healthcare Insurance Reciprocal of Canada (HIROC), has joined forces with other safety-driven organizations to produce a 30-second radio spot that could save lives.

The public service announcement hit the airwaves across Canada Oct. 7, encouraging people to play a more active role in their healthcare. The PSA’s message is in-line with Canadian Patient Safety Week’s 2007 theme, Patient Safety: Be involved. Ask. Talk. Listen.

To listen to the PSA, click here.

In an effort to reach as many people as possible, HIROC along with the Canadian Patient Safety Institute (CPSI), the Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety and the Health Quality Council of Alberta partnered to produce and distribute the PSA to radio stations across Canada, 106 of which offered free airtime.

“It makes (listeners) stop and think and that’s what you want to do,” says CPSI spokesperson Trish Filevich. "“You only have 30 seconds so it has to be not only somewhat entertaining and engaging but it needs to leave them with the question, ‘why don’t I?’”

By directing the ad towards people 25 to 54 years old, Filevich says “you’re capturing people who are parents . . . as well as those who are also caring for elderly parents.”

She says the ad’s message is strong and has validity beyond Canadian Patient Safety Week.

“Now that we have this message in hand, down the road you never know what kind of opportunities we might have to be able to put it back out again and work co-operatively with HIROC and our other partners,” says Filevich.

Anthony Fuchs, HIROC’s manager of communications and marketing, says the PSA is another step in the growing relationship between HIROC and CPSI.
 
He says the PSA is exactly aligned with HIROC’s vision, “partnering to create the safest healthcare system,” and represents the first step in a growing focus towards increasing public awareness of HIROC’s role and vision regarding healthcare safety.

CPSI CEO Phill Hassen applauded HIROC’s involvement in the venture, saying “it just reinforces and demonstrates the importance insurers have in reducing and preventing harm to patients.”

Hassen says the message is important because the more people are aware and involved in their own healthcare, the more likely they’ll be safe.

“It’s about trying to make sure everyone is more aware and everyone realizes we’re all trying to work together to make this happen,” says Hassen.

For more information on Canadian Patient Safety Week, visit www.patientsafetyweek.ca.