3/6/09 - 

CHICAGO, March 7, 2009 – Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS) is pleased to distribute a new tool that teaches patients to become more aware of their role in safe care. The brochure entitled “Patient Safety: I am a Partner in my Safe Care ” was developed by the federally-funded “Empowering Public Health / Patient Safety Outreach through Community Partnerships” or PPECA-II project. The brochure highlights key activities for consumers to make their care safer in the community setting, the hospital and at home. It is customizable for each hospital, community health setting or library.

Mary Kay Brooks, RN, MSN, CPHQ, Senior Administrative Associate, Clinical Quality Safety Performance and Improvement, University of Iowa, supports the brochure by saying, “This brochure will help empower patients and families to be more active in their healthcare choices and treatment. It is important for them to be aware and ask questions when in a healthcare setting. Healthcare workers or a librarian can help them find the answers to their health or medication related questions. We need to partner with our patients and families to provide a safe care experience.”

Headed up by the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa library in collaboration with the University of Iowa College of Public Health and its Institute for Quality Healthcare, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics (UIHC), Consumers Advancing Patient Safety and Zipperer Project Management.  The project has produced the brochure infused with the experience of healthcare providers, community leaders and consumers as to what would be helpful for patients to know to support their active participation in their safety as consumers of healthcare. Funding from the National Library of Medicine* supported the effort.

Five community-based pairings of critical access hospitals and public libraries served as the conduit for translating front line experience into the brochure.  “The brochure successfully translates what our attendees felt were important messages to empower patients as active participants in their care. As an information resource, our ability to make it freely available for communities with little funding to provide them with a new tool at their fingertips was a key goal,” said Linda Walton, MLS, Principal Investigator and Director, Hardin Health Sciences Library.  Ruth Holst, NN/LM, Greater Midwest Region UIC Library of the Health Sciences and funder for the program continues, “We see this brochure as a model for use in a variety of settings.  This is a great handout for medical librarians, public librarians, and others who promote consumer involvement in patient safety.”

Information on the train the trainer initiative and PPECA program support materials please visit: www.lib.uiowa.edu/hardin/ppeca





About Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS)
Consumers Advancing Patient Safety (CAPS) is a consumer-led non-profit organization formed to be a collective voice for individuals, families and healers who wish to prevent harm in healthcare encounters through partnership and collaboration.  CAPS envisions a partnership between consumers and providers to create global healthcare systems that are safe, compassionate and just.



For more information contact:
Linda Walton
Director, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences
600 Newton Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1098
(319) 335-9871
linda-walton@uiowa.edu

* This project has been funded in whole or in part with federal funds from the National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health, under Contract No. NO1-LM-6-3503