On this page:

• ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation
• ECRI Institute
• Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research
• National Library of Medicine
• Food and Drug Administration
• National Patient Safety Foundation
• Veterans Affairs, Veteran Health Administration- National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS)
• Institute for Safe Medicine Practices (ISMP)
• Institute for Medicine (IOM)
• Patient Safety Organizations

ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation (www.acce-htf.org)
Q: Can I take my home medical device with me to the hospital?
A: That question and others commonly asked by anyone with an apnea monitor, infusion pump or other medical device are answered in a brochure from the ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation. The brochure is available in English and Spanish, see links below.

Home Medical Device brochure (English - .pdf, 869 Kb)
Home Medical Device brochure (Spanish - .pdf, 891 Kb)

Q: What concerns should I have with oxygen therapy?
A: Please see the new brochure from the ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation detailing the usage, risks, and safety practices involved with oxygen therapy. The brochure is available in English and Spanish, see links below.

Oxygen Therapy brochure (English - .pdf, 226 Kb)
Oxygen Therapy brochure (Spanish - .pdf, 929 Kb)

ECRI Institute (www.ECRI.org)
Q: How can I decide whether to join a clinical trial?
A: http://www.ecri.org/Documents/Clinical_Trials_Patient_Reference_Guide.pdf

General patient information resources:
http://www.ecri.org/Patients/References/Pages/default.aspx

Family and Patient Bulimia Information and Guide:
http://www.bulimiaguide.org/ or
http://www.ecri.org/Patients/References/Pages/Bulimia_Nervosa_Resource_Guide_for_Family_and_Friends.aspx

Q: High dose chemotherapy and stem cell therapy for breast cancer treatment?
http://www.ecri.org/Patients/References/Pages/High-dose_Chemotherapy_Patient_Reference_Guide.aspx

Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (http://www.ahrq.gov/)
Q: How can I make sure I get safe healthcare?
A: 20 Tips to Help Prevent Medical Errors

Q: How can families make sure that patients get safe healthcare?
A: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/5tipseng/5tips.pdf (.pdf, 202 Kb)

Q: What are the best clinical guidelines for my treating different illnesses?
A: National Guideline Clearinghouse™ (NGC) Disease/Condition

General tips for consumers on safe healthcare:
http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/

National Library of Medicine (http://www.nlm.nih.gov/)
A complete Drug, Supplements, and Herbal information resource:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginformation.html

Q: What clinical trials are going on, and how do I get more information?
A: Clinical Trials

Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
FDA's Consumer Magazine:
http://www.fda.gov/fdac/

Information for Patients:
http://www.fda.gov/oashi/home.html

FDA Patient Safety News:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/psn/index.cfm

National Patient Safety Foundation (http://www.npsf.org/)

Veterans Affairs, Veteran Health Administration- National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) (www.patientsafety.gov)
An organization established to develop and nurture a culture of safety throughout the Veterans Health Administration. Our goal is the nationwide reduction and prevention of inadvertent harm to patients as a result of their care.
Q: How can I ensure Correct Site Surgery?
A: Ensuring Correct Surgery Course (.pdf, 1.35 Mb)

Preventing falls, and home and patient safety:
Education Resource Guide (.pdf, 7.91 Mb)

Reducing the fire hazard of smoking when oxygen is present:
http://www1.va.gov/vhapublications/ViewPublication.asp?pub_ID=1407

Institute for Safe Medicine Practices (ISMP) (http://www.ismp.org)

Institute for Medicine (IOM) (http://www.iom.edu)

Patient Safety Organizations (http://www.pso.ahrq.gov/)
Q: What are Patient Safety Organizations?
A: Patient Safety Organizations (PSOs) are new entities that will be recognized through a proposed rule making by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). PSOs will contract with hospitals to receive and analyze a variety of patient safety events with the ultimate purpose of making recommendations to the client hospital and hospitals at large with respect to safety improvements. PSOs will also integrate their individual patient safety event data to provide the benefit of a wider view of important events. A key feature of the PSO concept is protection of patient safety work product from disclosure. It is also important to note that provider participation in the PSO process is voluntary—at least for now. Note: The ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation is a registered PSO.

Q: Are there simple, easily produced reminder pieces that can play a role in patient safety?
A: Yes, one such item is the "tent card", a folded single sheet that is self standing and provides brief reminder material. Appropriate placement might include desks, office side tables, break areas, conference or cafeteria tables, patient tables, etc.

The Foundation has produced several variations on tent cards that address (1) Hand Hygiene, (2) Time Outs, and (3) Joint Commission National Patient Safety Goals. These designs, offered in PowerPoint format, may be used as is or modified as you like, such as adding your hospital logo or adding to or changing the text. However we do request that the credit to the ACCE Healthcare Technology Foundation remains in place if they are used substantially as provided.

Reminder pieces such as these, as well as posters, badge hangers, pocket cards, buttons, etc. may have some value in keeping attention on and refreshing ideas about safety and quality issues. They also have limitations including just becoming part of the background visual noise or visual overload, or otherwise not registering in the minds of the intended recipients of the information. However such items probably are not harmful unless they become a substitute or excuse for taking more substantive action. Despite limitations, reminder pieces are popular and can be an appropriate part of a more comprehensive patient safety effort.

Hand Hygiene.ppt (.ppt, 186 Kb)
Time Outs.ppt (.ppt, 192 Kb)
National Patient Safety Goals.ppt (.ppt, 130 Kb)