Top 10 Safety Concerns for Emergency Medical Services Released by Center for Patient Safety
Jefferson City, Mo. (PRWEB) January 21, 2016 -- A new report from the Center for Patient Safety (CPS) highlights the ten safety topics that will move “EMS Forward” in 2016. The emergency medical services (EMS) safety report was released this month in conjunction with the annual National Association of EMS Physicians conference in San Diego.
EMS, as a profession, is called to change in light of new laws and a changing healthcare system. To meet new expectations, the advancement of safety in EMS must be a focal point of EMS leadership across the nation.
The ten areas in the report reflect topics identified as risks to patient and provider safety as well as topics forecasted to be of greater concern in EMS in 2016. The report is not an all-inclusive list of safety concerns but rather a tool to complement current patient safety and quality programs and provide resources.
“CPS is committed to improving safety and quality,” said Alex Christgen, interim executive director. “This report strives to increase awareness, open dialogue, and promote actions to improve patient and provider safety in EMS.”
For more than 10 years, CPS has worked to improve safety for both patients and providers. CPS was one of the first organizations in the nation to be certified as a Patient Safety Organization (PSO), offering the benefit of protected sharing and learning with other EMS providers. CPS was also the first in the nation to provide EMS PSO services.
In collaboration with its EMS participants, CPS developed a data system specific for capturing the details of medical errors that occur in EMS care environments. The data from the PSO provides supporting evidence for the topic selections in this report.
The ten topics in the patient safety report will be combined with education and resources throughout the year to help every EMS provider move EMS forward in 2016 as well as the coming years. Upcoming webinars will be announced with subject matter experts who will address the 10 areas in the report.
CPS invites all providers to engage in the conversation further on social media to support the campaign. Join the #EMSForward movement and receive a free copy of the report at http://www.emsforward.org.
About CPS:
The Center for Patient Safety is a private, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to fostering change throughout the nation’s healthcare delivery systems and across the continuum of care. The Center’s vision is a healthcare environment safe for all patients and healthcare providers, in all processes, all the time. Find the Center on Facebook and Twitter @PtSafetyExpert and @PtSafetyEMS
###
Lee Varner, Center for Patient Safety, http://www.centerforpatientsafety.org, +1 888-935-8272, [email protected]
Share this article