Discussion: 2008 Home Care National Patient Safety Goals

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

2008 Home Care National Patient Safety Goals

What is your agency focusing on this year?

My employer purchased coagulation check machines and implementing them, especially in branches with high joint replacement and cardiac patients.

My intake staff focusing on improving communication across continuum of care and attempting to get med lists from facilities/doctors. I am so glad we have electronic medical record--IF INFO ENTERED, available at the click of a button to print and fax to doctors, insurance companies, etc.

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

I took some time away from LTC to work in home health....hated it so am now back in LTC. Med reconciliation is a problem for us as well. We always fax our 3 page referral to the home health agency when we discharge a patient to home. We send copies home with the patient,but so many times they seem to get lost between the SNF and patient's house.

[caliotter3]

My current agency does minimal. They don't even send out 485's for the field charts, nor copies of signed MD orders. They don't account for controlled substances. I have seen nothing at all about the Patient Safety Goals, since my previous agency dealt with them back in 2004. A shame.