7
Volume2 Issue8
|
CDA
at
W
ork
M
odernaviation is safer thanever,
due inpart tomeasurespion-
eeredby theairline industry
that focusedon improvingcrew
communicationand teamwork.
Thesemeasureshavebeen successfullyadapted
for use inother sectorswhereeffective teamwork
is crucial to safety, likehealthcare.
1
For example, in
hospital operating roomswenowhavea formal
process toconfirm thepatient andprocedure.
Andduring resuscitation, teams arenow trained
andassessed in specificcommunication tech-
niques that useclear andnon-confrontational
direction followedbyaparaphrasedacknow-
ledgement.
Weall know that healthcare isbest delivered in
a team setting, butworking ina teamcanbring
challenges. According to theCanadianPatient
Safety Institute, communicationbreakdowns
and ineffective teamworkare responsible for a
significant percentageof errors inhealthcare.
2
Likeour colleagues inhealthcare, dentistsare
focusedon the safetyandwell-beingof our
patients.Understandingwhat itmeans tohavea
“cultureofpatient safety”hasevolved since the
publicationof
ToErr isHuman:BuildingaSaferHealth
System
3
in2000,whichestimatedup to98,000
deathseachyear arecausedbymedical errors
in theUSA. The realization thatpreventable
medical errorsare responsible forpotentially
thousandsof unnecessarydeathsprompted
manyhealthcareorganizationsaround the
world to renew their focuson improving
patient safety, and thedisciplineofpatient
safetyemergedasafieldof study in itsown
right.
Compared toourmedical colleagues,we
know relatively littleabout safety incidents
that occur indentistry. Therearemany
possible reasons for this
4
—the
tendencyof dentists to
practise in isolation,which
may limit the sharing
of informationabout
adverseevents. The
possibility that adentist
maynot beaware that
anadverseevent has
occurred, if thepatient
sees another healthprofessional for aproblem
that arisespost-treatment. Finally, thepotential
hesitationof apractitioner about reportingan
adverseevent that occurs inaprivatepractice.
Dental organizations, including theFDIWorld
Dental Federation, theCouncil of European
Dentists, and theOrganization for SafetyAsepsis
andPrevention, are trying tochange this culture
by implementing initiatives that improvepatient
outcomes through thedeliveryof safer care. In
Canada, aspreviously reported in
CDAEssentials
,
5
themilitarydental clinicsof theRoyal Canadian
Dental Corps are implementingapatient safety
program for all levelsof healthcareworkers to
develop knowledge, skills andbehaviours around
patient safety. Programs like thesecouldhelpus
rethinkwhat itmeans toembraceacultureof
patient safety indentistry.
Acommon threadof patient safetyprograms is
the importanceof teamworkandcommunication.
Simplyput, ensuringapatient’s safetydepends
inpart on information sharing inanenvironment
whereall feel comfortable speakingup.While
every teamneeds a leader, goodcommunication
requires adismantlingof traditional hierarchical
barriers; every teammember is expected to speak
upabout aperceivedproblem—even if it appears
tobe the team leader’smistake. It’s a reminder
thatwhen it comes topatient safetyandquality
care for our patients, it’s all about teamwork.
References
1.SpeersRD,McCullochCA.Optimizingpatientsafety:canwe learn fromtheairline
industry?
.
2.TheCanadianPatientSafety Institute.
dmonton(AB);2011.
3.KohnLT,CorriganJM,DonaldsonMS,editors.
Washington(DC):NationalAcademyPress, InstituteofMedicine;2000.
4.YamalikNandPereaPérezB.Patientsafetyanddentistry:whatdoweneedtoknow?
Fundamentalsofpatientsafety,thesafetycultureand implementationofpatientsafety
measures indentalpractice.
.
5.Changingthecultureofpatientsafety indentistry.
.
From thePresident
PatientSafety
Teamworkand
AlastairNicoll, bdsh
ons
