IMPACT REPORT 2024-2025

“Promoting safer healthcare systems and patient empowerment across Connecticut.”

December 24, 2024

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

During this past year, the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety has continued in our role as respected representatives of the patient perspective and voice throughout Connecticut, nationally, and internationally. Awareness of what is being done to promote quality improvements leading to reductions of patient safety events locally and throughout the world enlightens members of CTCPS to engage with State Committees, Boards, and Providers. We are a small, but mighty voice in Connecticut in large part due to our many personal experiences with healthcare harm and our passion not to see others experience what we have experienced. Our capacity to fulfill our mission in a meaningful way is due to the support we receive from many of our members and residents of Connecticut. For that, we are sincerely grateful.

INTRODUCTION

We have made progress on healthcare safety initiatives that impact patient safety, healthcare cost savings, patient advocacy, and empowerment efforts. We have experienced successes in advocating for patient rights and improved safety protocols. We are working with Patients for Patient Safety – US, whose vision is a world in which no one is harmed in healthcare and every patient receives safe and respectful care, every time, everywhere, and whose mission is to implement in the United States recommendations of the World Health Organization Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030. For residents of Connecticut, we have hosted workshops on navigating healthcare systems and patient rights. By sharing information and strategies to empower patients so that they can take a more meaningful role in their own health care teams and their healthcare systems, by demonstrating that they are part of the system their voice is strengthened, their concerns are heard and we are then all able to work together to improve the state of health care in Connecticut and the country. We have reached hundreds of residents throughout Connecticut in many different communities ranging from underserved to seniors, to people with differing abilities, to professionals, providers and all of those in-between. We have helped people who did not know where to turn for support find the correct agency, person or organization to have their needs met, or simply provided them with information to clarify choices of what actions they can take.

• Mission: To promote safe, high quality healthcare and to protect the rights of patients.
• Vision: A healthcare system where patient safety is the highest priority.
• Core Values: Transparency, accountability, advocacy, and empowerment, and safety.

ADVOCACY AND IMPACT

We have made progress on healthcare safety initiatives that impact patient safety, healthcare cost savings, patient advocacy and empowerment efforts. We have experienced successes advocating for patient rights and improved safety protocols.

• As a member of Patients for Patient Safety – US, whose vision is a world in which no one is harmed in healthcare and every patient receives safe and respectful care, every time, everywhere, and whose mission is to implement in the United States the recommendations of the World Health Organization Global Patient Safety Action Plan 2021-2030, we are committed to working with them to achieve these goals.
• We have hosted workshops on navigating healthcare systems and patient rights. By sharing information and strategies to empower patients to take a more meaningful role in their own health care teams and their healthcare systems, by demonstrating that they are part of the system their voice is strengthened, their concerns get heard and we are then able to work together to improve the state of care in Connecticut and the country.
• We have reached hundreds of residents throughout Connecticut in many different communities ranging from underserved to seniors, to people with differing abilities, to professionals, providers and all of those in-between.
• We have helped people who did not know where to turn for support find the correct agency, person or organization to have their needs met, or simply provided them with information to clarify choices or their decisions of what to do.

We are recognized patient safety experts and are invited to speak as subject matter experts at Statewide and International Conferences including

• Drazen Rubin Law's Fourth Annual Caregiver Symposium. Topic: Empowerment Through Expression: Ensuring that the Patient's Perspective is Part of the Conversation
• ISQua (The International Society for Quality in Health Care) 2024 International Conference in Istanbul, Turkey. The Conference Theme for the 2024 conference was 'Health for People and Planet: Building Bridges to a Sustainable Future' Our Speaker topic was Person-Centered Care; is it system-focused, patient and/or family-focused, or is it patient-centered?
• Our strategies and actions include collaborative efforts with healthcare providers and policymakers,
• Community-level patient education and empowerment so that patients are more informed and engaged in their care and better able to prevent medical errors potentially leading to patient harm,
• We offer clinician level education on patient safety at Nursing and Medical schools throughout the state,
• We represent the patient perspective on state level committees such as the Emergency Department Boarding and Crowding Working Group, and Office of Health Strategy (OHS) Quality Council which was formed to recommend a core set of clinical quality, patient safety, consumer experience, and over-and under-utilization measures or benchmarks. Members of the Quality Council also recommend benchmarks and measures that focus on eliminating health disparities among people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.
• CTCPS’ Executive Director sits as a public member of the Board of Examiners for Nursing and on the All Payer Claims Database Data Release Committee,
• We are available to answer questions for residents and to share information and resources with them when they need assistance in dealing with health care issues.

RESEARCH INITIATIVES

• Through the gracious funding of a grant from the CT Health Foundation, the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety is developing a framework for the education of immigrant and refugee young adults to prepare them for the transition from pediatric health care to adult health care and the very different systems and supports that will be there for them. We encourage any inquiries on this project.
• Due to the growing awareness and concern related to Emergency Department Boarding and Crowding, the Connecticut Center for Patient Safety undertook a study project of the impact of Emergency Room Crowding and Boarding on patients. The report published by CTCPS and the valuable compilation of research and patient survey results, led by our intern, Patrick McCrann from Quinnipiac University, is one of the first to explore the patient-reported outcomes, the impact on patients, from this problem which is now being recognized for its impact on patient safety, hospital workflows, employee burnout, amongst other consequences.

CHALLENGES AND LESSONS LEARNED

• The uncertainty of the future of healthcare regulations from the Federal Government with the coming administration change is currently requiring us to anticipate possible changes in practices, policies and strategies that we will need to put in place to be out-front on behalf of patients, leading the drive to maintain accountability and transparency in the provision of quality health care, and ALWAYS protecting the rights of patients.
• There have always been funding challenges for an organization such as ours, and we have maintained our presence as a “small but mighty” voice representing all patients; working for patient safety through legislation, education and collaboration with all stakeholders. Our work is done in the name and memory of patients, including those who have been harmed by health care errors.
• Patient safety gaps still require attention. There are many disparities in health care, and they are tied in to social determinants of health (SDOH) which are nonmedical factors that influence health outcomes. They include: Economic stability, Food security, Housing, Education, Safe transportation and neighborhoods, Access to nutritious foods, Physical activity opportunities, Racism, discrimination, and violence, Language and literacy skills, amongst others. CTCPS is committed to working to eliminate disparities in healthcare and is committed to supporting the belief that healthcare is a human right, and quality should not be dependent on race, gender identification, age, or any other bias. By serving on quality committees such as the OHS Quality Council and the PFCCpartners Advisory Council, amongst others, we are committed to addressing and working alongside organizations that are committed to closing the gap by reducing disparities, and improving equity and full inclusion of all, in meaningful ways, throughout our healthcare system,

FUTURE GOALS AND OUR STRATEGIC DIRECTION

Our Upcoming priorities:

• Expanding our Board of Directors.
• New partnerships for systemic change in healthcare.
• Development of innovative patient safety programs.
• Support of patient-reported outcomes as a meaningful measure of quality healthcare
• Increased revenue to meet our future goals and strategic direction.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Thank you to
• To all the residents and businesses of Connecticut and surrounding regions who have supported us, financially and in terms of volunteerism, we could not do this work without you. We also appreciate the confidence shown to us by the nursing schools, medical school programs, and community organizations who bring us in to share, educate, and empower their members. The confidence shown us by the foundations that support our work is invaluable.
• To our board members who guide the organization in reaching our North Star.
• To our collaborative partners throughout the state who support and recognize the importance of our work.