Dana-Farber's Patient Safety Journey
Patient safety emerged as a public health issue with the 1999
publication of To Err is Human by
the Institute of Medicine. The report brought nationwide attention
to the problem of medical error and patient safety.
Always committed to safe patient care, Dana-Farber Cancer
Institute redoubled its efforts following the accidental
chemotherapy overdoses affecting patients Betsy Lehman and Maureen
Bateman in 1994. Adopting a comprehensive approach to patient
safety, Dana-Farber created a program with the following
features:
- Safe chemotherapy administration procedures, including
electronic order entry
- Enhanced error-reporting and analysis system
- Specialized training for nurses in new chemotherapy
protocols
- Increased supervision of trainees
- Double-checking of high-dose chemotherapy orders
- Board level involvement
- Partnerships with hospitals and community organizations to
share information systems and quality improvement initiatives
- Creation of Patient and Family Advisory Councils, whose members
participate in major decision-making throughout the
organization
Patient safety at Dana-Farber is rooted deeply in the culture.
Rather than a distinct program, patient safety is integrated into
the way we care for all patients.
Dana-Farber patient safety bibliography
Papers and news articles about Dana-Farber's progress in patient
safety through organizational change and innovations in patient
care can be found in our bibliography.