By Martha Deed
KevinMD.com
Originally published March 17, 2013
Here are som excerpts:
Another disturbed and disturbing night. It doesn’t happen often three years later. Now – when it does happen – I generally know why.
I am preparing to make a presentation of a sentinel event from my daughter’s final illness to a group of medical professionals and patient advocates. Last night, I was working on key points. What issues seem most important for hospital staffs to address after these years of reflection?
I am convinced – have understood for some time – that the fundamental issue is not that my daughter is dead or even how she died. The basic issue is, “Can we learn anything to prevent future deaths?”
The conference presentation makes use of the past to inform the future. I am co-presenting with a chief medical officer of a hospital system in another state.
Recently, he asked me how I am able to do this – stare into the disaster, sort it out, convey a message of hope. He asks, “What separates people like me who work toward improving safe and competent care from people who cannot move beyond paralyzing grief and anger?”
(cut)
My obligation as a parent and as a social scientist engaged in patient advocacy is to do what I can to help health care providers in their work. As a layperson, I can’t do much to improve patient outcomes; I have neither the education, nor the position to change anything within a hospital or medical office.
The entire blog entry is here.
Thanks to Ed Zuckerman for this information.
