Patient Safety Update: New AHRQ Guide Helps Hospitals Improve Patient and Family Engagement

Patient Safety Update: New AHRQ Guide Helps Hospitals Improve Patient and Family Engagement

Patient Safety Update: New AHRQ Guide Helps Hospitals Improve Patient and Family Engagement

Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) sent this bulletin at 08/27/2013 02:33 PM EDT

A new online resource from the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) helps hospitals improve quality and safety by building productive partnerships between health care professionals, patients, and family members. Patient and family engagement is a critical part of what hospitals should already be doing.  The Guide to Patient and Family Engagement in Hospital Safety and Quality outlines concrete opportunities to engage patients and families in individual care and at an organizational level. 

The guide includes strategies that hospitals can implement such as adding layperson advisors and improving communications during admissions; at the bedside during shift changes; and with discharge planning. Each strategy has tools, materials, and trainings for patients, families, hospital clinicians, and staff. You can also find out what other hospitals did and the lessons learned.