Patient Safety

Upcoming Events

Sunflower Health Network Board Meeting - Jan. 9

The Sunflower Health Network is a not-for-profit organization that consists of 26 counties located primarily in North Central and North West Kansas. Sunflower Health Network's (SHN) specific purpose is to improve the population's health status. The 26 member hospitals, in conjunction with their medical staff, have developed a network that fosters cooperation and coordination. The priority has been to enhance the integration of health-related services among the SHN member communities.

Quality Corner Call - Jan. 10

Quality Corner Calls are offered by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Healthworks and focus on quality improvement activities consistent with the Medicare Rural Hospital Flexibility Grant Program.

KHA Board Meeting - Jan. 22

KHA has a 21-member board of directors. They meet at least five times a year. Each board member holds three-year terms, with a two-term limit. The board has a composition of members from all geographic areas of Kansas all sizes and types of member hospitals are represented. The board also includes two hospital trustees and two physician members. Other participants include American Hospital Association delegate.

KHA's Advocacy Day - Jan. 23

Advocacy is at the heart of every service KHA provides for our members. Whether we are educating, advocating or relationship-building, we look for ways to assist policymakers at the federal, state and local levels in understanding the implications of the policies being discussed.

KHSC Board Meeting - Jan. 28

KHSC is a wholly owned subsidiary of KHA. Therefore, a secondary objective of KHSC is to support KHA in meeting its mission of serving hospitals. Its mission is to provide enhanced value to KHA members by evaluating and endorsing selected vendors of services needed by the KHA membership. KHSC will be a valuable resource to Kansas healthcare facilities and the Kansas Hospital Association as they serve their constituents.

Patient Safety

Patient- and family-centered care can be defined as health care that establishes a partnership among practitioners, patients and their families, ensuring that care delivery respects patients’ wants, needs and preferences and providing patients with the education and support they need to make decisions and participate in their own care. Patient- and family-centered care is associated with improved clinical outcomes, increased market share and patient loyalty, increased patient safety, and higher employee satisfaction.

Falls Prevention Resources:

Infection Prevention: Hand Hygiene

Kansas Healthcare Collaborative Hand Hygiene Resources

The Quality and Patient Safety Technical Advisory Group, working together with infection control professionals across the state, has developed the Kansas Hospital Association Infection Prevention: Hand Hygiene Tools and Resources manual for use by our member hospitals. The goal of the manual (now available in a CD version) is to promote the use of best practices concerning hand hygiene and infection prevention. This comprehensive resource contains sample policies and procedures, brochures, posters, definitions, information on specific organisms and guidelines from national infection prevention and reduction organizations. Most of the materials on the CD can be customized for individual hospitals. If you have any questions or would like a CD sent to you, contact Karen Braman or Cindy Samuelson.

Color-Coded Wristband Standardization

KHA member hospitals adopted a wristband standardization program using three specific colors on patient wrist bands to identify a patient’s care status. The colors were chosen based on a nationwide initiative to standardize patient wrist bands and include the use of yellow for fall risk, red for allergy and purple for "Do Not Resuscitate." This initiative also allows hospitals the option to use two additional colors - pink for limited extremity and green for latex allergy. For a CD of the KHA Wristband Standardization Toolkit, contact Karen Braman or use an order form.

Patient Safety-related Links and Downloads:

Questions regarding patient safety issues can be addressed to Karen Braman via email, or by calling the KHA office at (785) 233-7436.

Concealed Carry

Tools and resources for Kansas hospitals on the new Kansas law that will exempt governmental medical facilities and adult care homes from permitting concealed carry in their buildings for a period of four (4) years.