With budgets at an all time high and patient safety the most important factor, how do we encourage an environment of patient satisfaction? This is something we have pondered over in the last few months. Studies have concluded that in 2013 alone 400,000 premature deaths have been related to patient safety. So should we not look deeper into this issue?
Having worked in this industry for 20+ years, I know the struggles that the medical community face daily. Tight budgets, pressure from upper level management for changes, reluctance of change on the lower levels, and so forth. But we are putting people’s lives at risk every day. Having many friends in the medical community, I know that their goal is to improve and save lives. But where is the disconnect? What will it take for us to really start to look at positive change in the medical community. On the flip side I understand it is also a business and in order for that business to succeed profits need to increase. But do those profits need to increase at the cost of lives?
In my many years throughout the healthcare industry I have seen many solutions. During a recent visit to a local hospital emergency room as a patient, I saw the admitting nurse print out two 30 count sheets of labels. When asked if they really use that many I was told no. But that is the policy that had been handed down from the heads. When asked what happens to all those wasted labels after I leave, I was told they were put in a bin until someone shreds them. I asked the nurse if I could have my extra labels with my medical information on them and I was told that I could not take my information with me. This scared me. Anyone from a another patient, to a nurse to a janitor now has access to my medical information. Hence risking my security and also the liability to the institution. What if the nursing staff was able at any location throughout the hospital or clinic to print 1, 3 or 5 labels on demand. Hence reducing the liability to the hospital for labels floating around the facility. One hospital in California was able to reduce their liability by more than $1.5 million dollars a year. Allowing the hospital to use those funds to improve patient care throughout their system. Those are staggering figures and can help save many more lives.
Contact us today to learn more about wristband and labels on demand and how you can also free up some much needed funds for your institution!
