« PENN MEDICINE In Haiti -- Dispatch 22 | Main | PENN MEDICINE In Haiti -- Dispatch 24 »

February 04, 2010

PENN MEDICINE In Haiti -- Dispatch 23

February 04, 2010 15:02

Subject: Communications

One issue that can be a problem within any healthcare system is patient handoff and communication among team members. This is especially difficult if the physicians and nurses speak different languages, and the medical record is in French.

When we arrived there were no written notes for us to use. Patients had no name tags and X-rays were not marked by side (i.e. left vs. right). This, plus the lack of availability of providers to provide care, led to delays in wound dressing changes and little planning for future care.

Several changes in the process of patient care can now be seen. More X-rays have the side marked, patients now have ID tags, and we implemented a system of marking on the dressing or cast what the plan is as a guide future care. In addition, with the help of our PIH partners, the incoming medical team will receive a rather detailed spreadsheet listing critical healthcare information for each patient that we are caring for.

Michael

Pt chart haiti style

Posted at 03:29 PM in PENN MEDICINE in Haiti |

Comments

The comments to this entry are closed.

Search

Categories

Archives

NOTES

  • Blogmaster
    This blog is organized and maintained by David S. Smith, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania. His subspeciality is anesthesia for patients undergoing neurosurgery. For the past 6 years he has had responsibilites for patient safety and clinical care quality improvment in a Department of over 65 faculty who provide anesthesia care for about 24,000 patients each year. Correspondance can be sent to [email protected]
  • Mission Statement
    The purpose of this blog is primarily to provide ongoing contact with former residents and faculty of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A. Others may also have an interest in the topics presented. We plan to discuss a variety of issues related to the practice of anesthesiology with an emphasis on patient safety, risk management and medical legal aspects of care.
  • Disclaimer
    The content and observations on this Weblog come mostly from members of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care of the University of Pennsylvania. However this material does not represent the official opinion of that Department, the University of Pennsylvania or any of its other Departments or Divisions. Medicine is a rapidly changing field. We cannot guarantee that any of the material here is correct or up to date.
Subscribe to this blog's feed
Blog powered by Typepad