Protecting our people: A team effort between patient and provider

The 7th Medical Group provides different material throughout the clinic to help patients understand patient safety. The material includes a portable medication card and pamphlets about the “Ask Me 3” movement, which encourages patients to play an active role in their health care. These materials are designed to assist patients by helping them better communicate their medical concerns with their care provider during appointments. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Autumn Velez/Released)

Protecting our people: A team effort between patient and provider

Each employee at the 7th Medical Group is required to carry a card similar to this to remind them of the national patient safety goals. On one side, there is protocol for preventing wrong site, wrong procedure, and wrong person surgery, and on the other are goals of patient safety. More information about patient safety can be found at www.health.mil/dodpatientsafety. (U.S Air Force graphic by Airman 1st Class Autumn Velez/Released)

Protecting our people: A team effort between patient and provider

Published March 7, 2014
By Airman 1st Class Autumn Velez
7th Bomb Wing Public Affairs

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- According to the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, up to 98,000 people die each year due to medical errors made hospitals.

At the 7th Medical Group, as well as other clinics and hospitals across the Department of Defense, goals and protocol have been adopted in order to combat avoidable patient safety mistakes.

"The reason the Air Force Medical Service focuses on patient safety is because starting back in the 1990s it was determined that almost 100,000 people per a year in the United States were being killed by medical errors," said William Bradley, acting 7th MDG patient safety manager. "Back at that time, it was a national presidential initiative to implement patient safety programs throughout hospitals and clinics across the country."

To put everyone in the medical group members on the same page, regardless of being an Airman, civilian or contractor, all employees must receive an in-depth patient safety training called, "Team Strategies to Enhance Performance in Patient Safety", which is also known as Team STEPPS.

"The Team STEPPS program goes into depth about how to work well with patients and each other with the goal being to make as few medical errors as possible," Bradley said.
In order to protect the patients, the 7th MDG has a system of checks and balances.

"Like with any job, you cannot completely eliminate what can potentially happen, but we can do everything humanly possible to prevent it," Bradley said. "Patient safety for the medical group is our equivalent to quality assurance on the flightline."

On the other side of patient safety is the role and responsibility of the patient.

"The patient is the most important person on the patient's team because they are the one with all of the answers," Bradley said.

Often times, it has been found that patients are afraid to talk with their doctor. To encourage communication, there is a movement from the National Patient Safety Foundation called, "Ask Me 3," which has the patient ask three questions: What is my main problem? What do I need to do? Why is it important for me to do this?

"Ask Me 3 encourages patients to be prepared to talk to their doctors and ask the questions that need to be asked," said Carol Mann, 7th MDG patient advocate. "We call this an empowered patient."

With the assistance of patients and awareness of patient safety, the 7th MDG strives to deliver the best health care possible to the beneficiaries with fewest number or errors.