Patient safety is hot topic in healthcare Ensuring safe care for
patients who require care in the hospital setting has always
been an important issue for healthcare providers and
institutions, but it has become a front-and-center topic of
discussion in recent years. National Patient Safety Awareness
Week, sponsored by the National Patient Safety Foundation
(www.npsf.org) is March 3-9. Southwest Health System hospitalist
Kent Aikin, MD, says that patient safety is top of mind for
nurses, physicians, and all healthcare providers 24 hours a day,
seven days a week, 365 days a year. "There are many factors to
consider related to patient safety," said Aikin. "Reducing the
risk of medication errors is, to me, the number one issue."
Nurses, pharmacists, and doctors have many procedures in place
to make sure that each patient receives the medications they are
prescribed correctly - the right drug, in the right dosage, at
the right time. Patients have a role to play in avoiding
medication errors, as well, according to