Not Going to Vegas: What Healthcare Can Learn from US Air

I had an 11:20am flight to Las Vegas on Monday to attend the American Society of Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear conference. During the three hours that we sat on the plane, the airline had to fix three different technical failures. After the third failure, the pilot came on the loudspeaker and told us that “this plane does not want to go to Las Vegas”.

He had us get off the plane and head to another plane at an alternate gate, only to call us back to the same plane (they fixed the final problem – an oil leak).

I didn’t get back on the plane. I didn’t go to Vegas.

The plane got to Vegas. But, I just couldn’t take the chance. It was just too risky for me. I was uncomfortable.

Since I’m well educated on the processes and system checks and balances that airlines go through, I was thankful that they uncovered the problems with the plane, but I was equally as thankful that I got to make the choice NOT to get back on the plane.

It made me think of personalized healthcare. I would really like to be able to make my own educated decisions when it comes to my care. I’d like to know what hospitals are investing in assessments to uncover patient care risk that their processes may cause, perpetuate or prevent. I’d like to have access to quality information from the organizations that I choose to put my life in the hands of. But, as it stands, I don’t get that information from most places.

I know what questions to ask because I work in the industry. But, most people have no idea if the hospital they are going to have a C-section in has no hand hygiene program. Or if the place they choose to bring their children almost gave a toddler the wrong medication two weeks ago.

So, this is not a blog that will slam the airline for having technical failures. This is actually a blog that will commend the airline for being transparent with me, so that I can make my own decisions. I was refunded and they got me my luggage back to boot. Thank you US Air.

I believe in my work.

Claire

Oct-Nov Activities

I am a bad blogger these days. I bought a book about blogging and it said to update the blog three times a week. I think its been over a month since my last blog post. So, according to the blog book (and probably any social media marketer), I am a bad blogger.

Seriously though, I don’t have time to blog three times a week, so I do what I can.

This is what I did over the last 2 months:

1.) AmerisourceBergen (my employer) was an ambassador sponsor of the Lucean Leape Institute Gala. It was amazing to be part of this event and to be a council member for National Patient Safety Foundation. They are amazing organizations.

Here is a picture of me (far right), Diane Pinakiewicz, President of NPSF and Lucian Leape Institute, David Coletta, V.P., NPSF and Lucian Leape, MD,Chair, Lucian Leape Institute and Adjunct Professor of Health Policy, Harvard School of Public Health.



The event was incredible. I feel honored to have been there. I should have blogged about that. But @SusanCarr, editor of Patient Safety & Quality Healthcare Magazine was there, so I leave the journalistic coverage to the experts.

2). I helped manage a photo shoot for some our pharmacy technology. This was super fun.

3.) Lots of time in Washington, DC talking with health reform experts to help understand the different challenges and opportunities that our hospital customers will experience with some of the proposed legislation.

4.) Attended the e-Patient Connection conference (#epatcon). Since I have a twitter account and work in the healthcare space, I thought it would be valuable to understand the conversations that are taking place around communications and patient care. Plus I got to see @ePatientDave again, so that was great.

5.) Preparing for American Society for Health Systems Pharmacists (ASHP). We are sponsoring the ISMP ADC Symposia and the ISMP Cheers Awards. Plus AmerisourceBergen has a huge tradeshow booth presence.

That’s it…. just keep plugging along - trying to get AmerisourceBergen’s patient safety message out there (in person this month – not on social media) so, sorry if I’ve neglected my blogger responsibilities.

I’ll try to do better this month.

I believe in my work.

Claire