Letter to the Editor: Lost Surgical Specimens

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Letter to the Editor: Lost Surgical Specimens

PA PSRS Patient Saf Advis 2006 Mar;3(1):2.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for the great article about lost surgical specimens from the September 2005 edition of the PA-PSRS Patient Safety Advisory.

The article gave Berks Center for Digestive Health a good start to doing a CQI project on our specimen errors. Being a busy ambulatory GI center with several employees, it is difficult to eliminate human error completely. With your strategies for reducing these errors, we hope to strive for excellence by reducing the number of errors.

I utilized the eight steps outlined for getting the specimens to the laboratory correctly by creating a colorful board that all employees can review periodically to stay refreshed. This will also aid in the teaching of new employees joining our healthcare team. Also, all of our procedure rooms will have a smaller copy attached to the wall for all assistants to view prior to completing each patient’s specimen(s).

Berks Center for Digestive Health is proud of its winning healthcare team. With your eight-step outline, we are able to assure our patients that they are getting exceptional care. Thank you again for your outstanding article.

Sherry Degler, MA
Berks Center for Digestive Health, Wyomissing

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Letter to the Editor: Lost Surgical Specimens

	THE PENNSYLVANIA PATIENT SAFETY AUTHORITY AND ITS CONTRACTORS
	The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority is an independent state agency created by Act 13 of 2002, the Medical Care Availability and Reduction of Error (“Mcare”) Act. Consistent with Act 13, ECRI Institute, as contractor for the Authority, is issuing this publication to advise medical facilities of immediate changes that can be instituted to reduce Serious Events and Incidents. For more information about the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, see the Authority’s Web site at www.patientsafetyauthority.org .
	ECRI Institute, a nonprofit organization, dedicates itself to bringing the discipline of applied scientific research in healthcare to uncover the best approaches to improving patient care. As pioneers in this science for more than 40 years, ECRI Institute marries experience and independence with the objectivity of evidence-based research. More than 5,000 healthcare organizations worldwide rely on ECRI Institute’s expertise in patient safety improvement, risk and quality management, and healthcare processes, devices, procedures and drug technology.
	The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated solely to medication error prevention and safe medication use. ISMP provides recommendations for the safe use of medications to the healthcare community including healthcare professionals, government agencies, accrediting organizations, and consumers. ISMP’s efforts are built on a nonpunitive approach and systems-based solutions.