Congratulations to Judith Tarnow, PCC in Vancouver Community!

Judith’s submission was selected as the Most Helpful SLS in a recent challenge sponsored by Client Relations and Risk Management to acknowledge the critical role of SLS Handlers in sharing learnings from safety events. Her submission included information about the event and contributing factors and demonstrated improvements in patient safety through better communications amongst staff.

SLS is about learning from patient safety events, near misses and hazards and fostering improvements in safety and quality. Handlers (investigators of safety events) are key to identifying and sharing this learning. The contest was a fun way to raise awareness among our staff of the critical role of sharing lessons learned and to recognize the SLS Handlers who inspire actionable change in our programs across the continuum of care.

Judith and the Handlers of the Most Helpful SLS in each Community of Care attended the recent Quality Forum conference to learn more about quality improvement and patient safety. They were recognized with plaques given out by Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid, VCH Board Member and Chair of the VCH Safety Quality and Performance Measurement Committee of the Board.

Congratulations to all of our winners for our most timely and helpful SLS’.  Learn more about them and successful Handling of SLS’  here.

Have you identified an event or situation affecting patient safety? Report it on the Clinical Tab of VCH Connect. The quality improvements that arise from your report and the Handler’s follow-up make a big difference to safety. We’re continuing the challenge for the Most Helpful SLS  – find out more here.

Quality Forum challenge winners – left to right) Cindy Sellers, Manager, Alison Urquhart, PCC (Vancouver Acute), Kara Thompson, PCC (Richmond), Judith Tarnow, PCC (Vancouver Community), Dr. Margaret MacDiarmid (VCH Board Member), Becy Seet, CNE (Coastal) and Keira St. George, Clinical Coordinator (Vancouver Community), Angela Whitley, Technical Supervisor (VA)