WIHI: Practicing Respect and Preventing Harm

Date: February 9, 2017

Featuring:

• Patricia E. Folcarelli, RN, MA, PhD, Interim Vice President, Health Care Quality, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
• Lauge Sokol-Hessner, MD, Attending Physician; Associate Director, Inpatient Quality, Silverman Institute, BIDMC
• Erica Dente, Patient Family Advisor, BIDMC
• Frank Federico, RPh, Vice President, Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI)

Most of us know what it feels like to have an interaction with someone that can feel rushed, incomplete…maybe even abrupt or downright rude. When that’s the type of encounter patients have with health care providers and staff, it cannot only be upsetting but have other consequences: patients may lose confidence in those overseeing their care, withhold information, and generally withdraw from the treatment process.

One major health system has decided it’s high time we track and label these situations for what they are: emotional harm. They shared with the WIHI audience what led them to become far more proactive about the lack of respectful and dignified engagement with patients; how they hear about and track incidents and complaints; and what strategies they deploy to address the most common offenses.

Find out why they happen, and what steps can be taken to prevent and respond to emotional harm on the February 9 WIHI: Practicing Respect and Preventing Emotional Harm.