1 8 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • O C T O B E R 2 0 1 7
T
o improve patient safety,
you first have to know
where to focus your
attention. Our "Good Catch"
program asks staff members to
submit forms that note near
misses or actual adverse events
(outpatientsurgery.net/forms).
Staff often report their own
good catches, but also turn in
forms to recognize the efforts of
their colleagues. Each employee
who submits a form receives a raffle ticket in a monthly drawing for
gift cards, thermal travel mugs or other small tokens of appreciation
for their vigilant monitoring of patient safety.
The program has increased everyone's awareness of potential mis-
takes in patient care, both big and small. For example, one of our pre-
op nurses noticed that a patient's right hand was being prepped for
surgery when the physician's orders and surgical site confirmation
paperwork noted the scheduled procedure was for the left hand.
Members of the business office staff can also submit dictation errors
or incorrect billing information that could financially harm patients.
Before implementing the program, we received 4 to 5 reports a
month. Now we receive more than 20, so we're more aware of patient
safety issues that occur and need to be addressed.
Lacy McWhorter, RN, BSN, CCRN
Rockwall (Texas) Surgery Center
lmcwhorter@uspi.com
"GOOD CATCH" PROGRAM
Prize Patrol Helps Protect Patients
• GOOD CATCH Staff members love to receive monthly prizes for
noticing risk events that can result in patient harm.
Lacy
McWhorter,
RN,
BSN,
CCRN
Ideas Work
That
