7th Medical Group joins nationwide effort to promote patient safety awareness Published Feb. 24, 2014 By 1st Lt. Elizabeth Jovanovich 7th Medical Group DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- In an effort to raise awareness and encourage the engagement of patients, families, healthcare providers and the public, the 7th Medical Group announced today its participation in the 2014 Patient Safety Awareness Week campaign: Navigate Your Health...Safely. Patient Safety Awareness Week, March 2-8, 2014, is an annual education and awareness campaign for healthcare safety led by the National Patient Safety Foundation. Each year, health care organizations around the world take part in the event, creating awareness in their community and among their staff. This year's theme, Navigate Your Health...Safely, highlights the need for healthcare providers to ensure that patients and consumers are more engaged in the healthcare process, whether visiting the doctor for a routine exam or entering the hospital for surgery. "Healthcare today is extremely complex," said NPSF President Tejal K. Gandhi, MD, MPH, CPPS. "All of us will be patients at some point in life, and we should approach that experience the way we would approach any important journey--with careful planning and communication. Navigate Your Health...Safely reminds us that that providing safe patient care can best be achieved when patients are a key part of the team and take an active role in their care." The 7th Medical Group will engage staff, patients and the community through educational and awareness-building activities specific to patient safety science and practice. "Patient safety is continuously at the forefront of all patient care delivered by the Air Force Medical Service and, in turn, the 7th MDG," said Colonel Robert Bogart, 7th MDG commander. "Patients are in the best position to help us help them and the partnership between healthcare teams and the patient, and their families, cannot be understated for desirable patient outcomes." For additional information on Patient Safety Awareness Week, please visit www.npsf.org. About the 7th MDG The 7th MDG is comprised of approximately 300 active duty members, Department of Defense civilians, DoD contractors and volunteers each striving daily to ensure that authorized DoD beneficiaries receive the absolute best medical care available. Our vision, simply stated, is that we want to be the primary healthcare organization in your life and that the healthcare we deliver to you is "Trusted and Preferred!" About the National Patient Safety Foundation The National Patient Safety Foundation has been pursuing one mission since its founding in 1997 - to improve the safety of care provided to patients. As a central voice for patient safety, NPSF is committed to a collaborative, inclusive, multi-stakeholder approach in all that it does. NPSF is an independent, not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization.