Krista Bass, RN, went on a mission last year.
While attending the Oregon Patient Safety Forum in early 2015, she was proud to see recognition given to The Corvallis Clinic Surgery Center, where she is infection prevention nurse, for exceeding safety targets established by the Oregon Patient Safety Commission. However, it sparked her to set her sights higher.
Her efforts spearheading a written notification process garnered the attention of the commission, which has given the Surgery Center its Leading Participant Award for an ambulatory surgical center (ASC) for 2015. Bass accepted the award at the 2016 Safety Forum on Feb. 26 in Portland.
“After the forum last year, I realized our team needed to figure out how to provide written notification,” Bass said. “Being transparent about adverse events was an important first step in addressing patient safety issues.”
Currently, 61 ASCs in Oregon participate in the commission’s Patient Safety Reporting Program. In 2015, the Surgery Center was one of only four ASCs in the state to have exceeded the program’s Safety Recognition Targets. The Leading Participant Award winner is chosen among those ASCs that have exceeded the targets.
“We tell our patients that we deliver ‘exceptional medical care,’” Clinic CEO Brad Wakefield said, “so it is very gratifying to have the Oregon Patient Safety Commission recognize that we provide the best care of any ambulatory surgery center in the state. Our physicians and Surgery Center team have focused a great deal of effort to achieve this award and recognition, and I want to sincerely thank them for their efforts on behalf of our patients.”
“This award was made possible by the tireless and diligent efforts of Krista Bass and (Surgery Center Director) Nancy Franssen,” said Jonathan Evans, D.O., a Clinic orthopedic surgeon and the center’s medical director. “We have worked together to create a culture of putting patients first in regards to infection prevention, reduction of preventable mistakes, and the disclosure and reporting of any incidents that did occur. We will continue to work together as a team to ensure a safe environment for patients and staff. Both Nancy and particularly Krista’s efforts are to be greatly admired and appreciated.”
Using the Oregon Administrative Rules and laws describing the protections related to written notification and apology, along with guidance from the commission, Bass produced a consensus among Clinic providers, risk management, and administrators on a process to provide information to patients.
And what does Bass have planned for 2016?
She is excited about creating a standardized program for cleaning staff to follow. “So everybody can be on the same page and work more as a team,” she said.
“This award is a great and well-earned honor for The Corvallis Clinic,” said Sen. Sara Gelser, D-Corvallis. “It demonstrates how fortunate we are to have access to high quality, compassionate health care services in our community.”
