DailyKaizen

I recently returned from Medical College of Georgia, in Augusta, which is nationally known for involving patients and families in their care. The work is very impressive, and I posted a summary and pictures on my other blog.

There is a story that I was told that is worth posting here:

Pat Sodomka, Vice President of Patient and Family Centered Care, and Bernard Roberson, Director of Family Services Development explained to me, Patient and Family Centered Care means a lot of little changes. They told me about patient Nettie Engels who asked for longer straws in radiology. Why? Because when patients were flat on exam tables and asked to drink contrast, short straws meant that contrast was more likely to spill on the patient, and due to the requirement that they be still, this resulted in unnecessary discomfort throughout the procedure. As a result, the hospital purchased longer straws, so that patients can now have the dignity of clean and dry clothing while undergoing an exam.

As we talk about leadership at all levels and the ideas of staff, how do we incorporate ideas from patients and their families? What is our mental model about the ideas of patients and families - do we see the problems that they bring to us as gold, or do we tally them in databases somewhere?

How many short straws are there in your institution that you don’t know about?

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