Special to the Times Vedette
Guthrie County Hospital and Clinics says it is reinforcing its commitment to patient safety by enhancing its patient identification practices through a renewed awareness campaign.
GCH already uses two-point patient identification, but this campaign is focused on ensuring consistency, awareness and continued excellence across all departments.
Starting Aug. 1, staff will routinely check at least two identifiers to confirm a patient’s identity before administering care, treatment or medication. This means patients will be asked many times during the admission/care journey to confirm their identity to make sure they get the medication, procedure or care that was intended. This step helps prevent medical errors and ensures each patient receives the correct care every time.
“Patient safety is always our top priority,” Kassie Cline, perioperative services manager/clinical and Quality Shared Governance Committee Member, said. “We’ve been using two-point identification for years, but this campaign serves to re-emphasize its importance and make sure everyone — staff, patients and families — understands the role it plays in quality care.”
As part of this initiative, patients may notice additional reminders and educational materials throughout the hospital, as well as staff being extra diligent when confirming identity.