Goderich hospital introduces the Patient Guide to Safety
Thursday October 11, 2007 -- Jason Thompson
Alexandra Marine and General Hospital (AMGH) is putting patient safety in the hands of patients with the release of the Patient Guide to Safety.

The 12-page guide is specific to AMGH and familiarizes patients with the hospital’s procedures and encourages patients to play a more active role in their healthcare through communication.

Cheryl Taylor, the director of patient services and chief nursing officer at AMGH, says the guide’s release is scheduled to coincide with Canadian Patient Safety Week and mirrors the theme Patient Safety: Be Involved. Ask. Talk. Listen.

Taylor says it’s not uncommon for a patient to have questions about their health yet stay silent or leave the hospital confused about something.

“It all comes down to communication,” Taylor says. “You can only take in so much information. We give them so much that when they go home it is no wonder they’re confused.”

The guide is given to all patients upon admission and is available in the hospital’s waiting areas.

“Our staff have been taken through an education on the booklet so they can respond to any questions and help (a) patient use it,” Taylor says.

She adds the guide will remain standard procedure at the hospital after Canadian Patient Safety Week.

During the guide’s formative stages, the hospital’s patient population was surveyed on their impressions of patient safety and what information could be made available.

“We got a flavour for what the culture was from a patient’s perspective and we actually built on those areas they identified that we saw we could improve on,” Taylor says.

The survey also indicated that patients felt more knowledgeable about their safety today than they were two years ago.

“We share information now far more than we ever have. One good idea is built on another good idea,” Taylor says. “I don’t think there is a health institution out there now that does not promote patient safety.”

The guide was developed with the assistance of Kim Loebach, a work placement student from Healthkick Huron, an organization with a mission to develop local capacity for creating communities of choice for healthcare professionals in rural Ontario.

It will be available online shortly and any organizations looking for information to create their own guide can contact Taylor at cheryl.taylor@amgh.on.ca.