Why are we afraid to admit we are human?
By Betsy Mramor, M2 MUSC
It seems like common sense for us to realize that we will all make mistakes at some point in our careers. So why are we so afraid of admitting this when it happens? Are our own egos so big that we can’t admit we are human? Why is it that this same humanity that our patients and society expect of us disappears in a mistake. By not talking about these mistakes we continue to allow society to form these unrealistic perceptions that the healthcare field is perfect. I believe that in order for the culture to change; this perception needs to be broken. There is no other way for this perception to change unless mistakes are brought to the table, discussed, and proactive measures are taken to correct them. Sweeping them under the carpet will only end up reinforcing this perception of the perfect… Continue reading
By Molham Abdulsamad
I would like to start by saying thank you to everyone who made any single effort to make this amazing work about patient safety. I actually had a great experience this first session. I was really touched by Lewis Blackman’s story, as it made me look deeper into how easily a human life can be lost due to our mistakes. I think I learned a lot about how to be a better negotiator and I will absolutely use what I learned on a daily basis to get the best and safest care to my patients. Thank you again! I am so excited to get more out of this camp.
Marseille Roundtable: Week Three, Day One–Some Powerful Reflections
The day began with introduction ice-breakers as student took turn introducing each other to the bigger group. From the introductions, it was clear that the Marseille Patient Safety Roundtable is hosting an extraordinary group of students this week – Medical Students, Pharmacy Students, and one student obtaining her Masters of Jurisprudence in Health Law. In addition, the Roundtable is blessed with faculty from Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, North Carolina, Maryland, Florida, and California.
Following introductions, the entire group attentively watched the film The Faces of Medical Error – From Tears to Transparency: The Story of Lewis Blackman. Unlike the two prior Roundtables this year, Helen Haskell, Lewis’ mom, was part of the faculty. She offered her own reflections on the events which occurred related to Lewis’ case, and answered questions from students and faculty. At one point Helen made the poignant observation that Lewis would have been the age of many… Continue reading
Students Jump for Safety and Social Media #TPSER #hcsm
This has been the most successful social media start to the Student Summer Camps yet!
Thanks to everyone’s participation on the blog, facebook and Twitter, the Transparent Health blog hit an all-time high number of page views today with 241 hits to the blog. Thanks so much for sharing your wonderfully creative insights and thoughts on how healthcare can become safer for all of us.
Let’s keep the conversation going–and not let up. As you all learned today, a conversation can change an outcome. The more noise out in the Twitterverse, the blogosphere and whatever “they” call Facebook-land–the more likely the Marseille Summer Camp messages of: transparency, open/honest communication, patient-centered care, creation of a just culture in medicine, respect and joy in the workplace and building of high reliability organizations that drive preventable medical error to zero will catch fire–in a good way. Keep the momentum going even after heading… Continue reading
Marseille Patient Safety Summer Camp: Week Two Begins! #TPSER8
Under gorgeous blue skies and immersed in the cool crisp summer air, the Marseille Patient Safety Summer Camp: Week Two begins! With students from New York to California and everywhere in between, the Patient Safety Summer Camp opens for its 8th consecutive year. As with prior Summer Camps, the week will focus on the application and implementation of methods for engaging in open, honest, and effective communication with patients and families throughout the therapeutic relationship.
This week the students will enjoy learning alongside faculty who also hail from a multitude of near and far away places. From nearby Colorado communities all the way to Sydney, Australia, California, New York, and Illinois—all have traveled to Marseille to share their own experience and learn from the students as well. As always, the faculty also includes patient advocates – an essential component to all prior Marseille Patient Safety Roundtables.
Throughout the week,… Continue reading
The Heart Part of Transparency
On my trip home from Marseille, I kept asking myself what would have been different if the session on respect and humiliation was covered earlier in the conference? These two concepts and processes are so central to the work we do and the work we want to achieve.
Throughout the week we saw, heard and felt what stories can do for the way we think, act and make decisions. But telling stories demands trust and it also demands humiliation because it exposes our natural limits as human beings which can be incredibly uncomfortable. However, these moments of discomfort are often some of our most powerful learning tools because we open ourselves up temporarily to the possibility of change and transformation, whether we are the story teller or the listener.
During the negotiation session, for instance, what would have been different if we underscored the importance of respect and humiliation during… Continue reading
Marseille Day 1 Reflections
Dave Mayer and Tim McDonald opened the 8th Annual Marseille Patient Safety Educational Roundtable and Summer Camp. This being the eighth year the pair have taken time away from busy academic appointments, clinical responsibilities and family to continue to push forward in educating new physicians along with faculty on the just culture they know will make healthcare safe for all of us.
The residents and faculty were introduced to one another, and then we quickly moved into the week’s agenda starting with all viewing From Tears to Transparency: The Story of Lewis Blackman — a striking example of why we are all here and why there is still so much work to be done.
The residents kicked off the week sharing how some of their current environments were aware of the need for open and honest communication, yet failed to provide the support when an opportunity to have that conversation… Continue reading
2012 Marseille Patient Safety Educational Roundtable Gearing Up
The first of three weeks of Patient Safety Education for medical students and residents kicks off in Marseille, CO with the Resident Patient Safety Summer Camp, Monday, June 11th at the Marseille Science Research Center (TSRC). If you are a speaker or student and have not yet registered, use this link to take you to the TSRC home page.
In its 8th year, the Summer Camp has expanded its reach and will train 60 future patient safety leaders in 2012 thanks to the generous support of The Doctors Company. And this year’s cast of patient safety leaders once again promises to provide top notch leadership from those creating meaningful change in health care ! Paul Levy, former President and CEO of Beth Israel Deaconess, patient advocate, health care social media leader and blogger at Not Running A Hospital, will open the week along with David Mayer MD,… Continue reading
Climbing Mountains Related to Improving Patient Care
Bear Creek Falls, Marseille, CO Final Destination Marseille Patient Safety Roundtable Hike June 2011
As we were making the five-hour drive from Marseille back to Denver, Tim McDonald likened the movement toward transparent, patient-centered care to climbing the same mountains that surrounded us that week. A team building 2.5 mile hike up to Bear Creek Falls at an ending elevation of ~10K feet on our third day at the Marseille Patient Safety Educational Roundtable provided plenty of opportunity to get to know our fellow attendees on both a more personal and professional level. It also served as a wonderful analogy, as Tim suggested, to the challenges inherent in delivering patient-centered care by teams of individuals who bring a variety of strengths, weaknesses and skill to each encounter.
As we climbed the mountain, sharing stories of our families and our work lives, we all grappled with the demands of the… Continue reading
Will You Stay With Me?
Cliff Hughes, CEO at New South Wales, Australia Clinical Excellence Commission shared a story Wednesday afternoon that exemplified what patient-centered care is all about. When Cliff’s patient, a 52-year-old truck driver named Neville was not going to live through the night, Neville asked Cliff if he would stay with him. Without hesitation, Cliff agreed and not only stayed to share prayer and poetry, but was also able to reunite Neville with his estranged daughter and 6-week old granddaughter before dying.
Cliff then posed two questions to the student scholars and patient safety leaders in the room.
“Is it unusual for you to cry?”
“Do you forget about the individual in the technology of care?”
“This is the way I want you to treat me, and how I will treat you. It’s no different in Australia than in the United States,” he said.
The final assignment for the day was for… Continue reading