Medical Safety Management Department
Director: Katsuhiko Oda, MD, PhD
Medical Safety Specialist: Akiko Nakamura
The basic philosophy of Iwate Prefectural Central Hospital is to provide high-quality medical care to the residents of the prefecture. The Medical Safety Management Department is responsible for managing the quality, safety, and effectiveness of the medical care provided by the hospital. Fundamental to this mission is respecting patients’ autonomy and offering medical care that considers the unique conditions of each patient. This includes presenting alternative treatment options, honoring treatment refusals, and facilitating second opinions.
Two Approaches to Medical Safety
At our Medical Safety Management Department, we aim to ensure medical safety through two primary approaches. The first approach involves thoroughly collecting information on a wide range of operational systems from actual medical incidents, scientifically analyzing this data, proposing improvements to on-site systems, and presenting measures to prevent recurrence. This post-incident strategy is known as Safety I. By increasing the proportion of level 0 reports, where potential accidents are detected and prevented, we aim to enhance the awareness and sensitivity to medical safety, thereby reducing the occurrence of severe incidents. We actively promote awareness within the hospital and listen sincerely to suggestions from patients and their families, engaging proactively in on-site improvements.
The second approach focuses on preventing accidents before they occur by enhancing the ability to respond promptly to various situations that arise in the medical field. This capability, known as resilience, involves the flexible and adaptive prevention of incidents and is referred to as Safety II. The aforementioned level 0 reports are a valuable resource of resilience and preventive wisdom, which we strive to share across the entire hospital. Additionally, we actively introduce and promote TeamSTEPPS (Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety) to strengthen on-site response capabilities.
Furthermore, we manage consent forms for invasive medical procedures, provide medical safety training for all staff, hold weekly Medical Safety Management Department meetings, collect medical incident information daily, and conduct monthly Medical Safety Management Committee meetings. We also offer recommendations and consulting services on various issues within the hospital from a professional medical safety perspective.
By focusing on these approaches, the Medical Safety Management Department at Iwate Prefectural Central Hospital is dedicated to improving the safety and quality of medical care, ensuring the well-being of our patients.
Request to Patients and Families
Patients are Part of the Medical Team
To receive safe medical care, we kindly ask for your cooperation in the following areas:
● Confirming Your Name
We will ask for your name (posters within the hospital indicate this procedure).
To prevent patient mix-ups and medication errors, we will confirm your name and date of birth at various points such as consultations, tests, and treatments. We appreciate your cooperation in stating your name.
During hospitalization, you will be asked to wear a name band.
Even at night, we will confirm your name using the name band attached to your arm or leg.
● Being Careful of Falls
The hospital floors are made of hard materials, unlike tatami or wooden flooring. Please be cautious when walking or getting off examination tables and beds. We recommend wearing familiar, low-heeled footwear. The unfamiliar hospital environment poses a risk of falls, so if you need assistance moving, do not hesitate to call a nurse.
● Confirming Medication and Allergies
Your medications may change or be discontinued depending on your condition, tests, or treatments. The “Medication Notebook” helps avoid duplication with other hospitals and checks for drug interactions, so please present it if you have one. If you are taking over-the-counter drugs or supplements or have had any allergic reactions to medications or foods, please inform your doctor or nurse.
● Asking Any Questions
After receiving explanations from doctors or nurses, do you have any further questions? Our staff strives to provide clear explanations, but if you do not understand something, please feel free to say, “I don’t understand.” Correct understanding is essential for receiving proper treatment. Patients are part of the medical team. If you have any concerns or questions about your illness, tests, treatments, medications, or post-discharge life, please feel free to ask your doctor or nurse.