Two Air Force medical centers earned Department of Defense Patient Safety Awards for their leadership and innovation in quality, safety and commitment to patient care.

Getting awards are the 59th Medical Wing’s patient safety office at Wilford Hall Medical Center at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, and the 89th Medical Group at Malcolm Grow Medical Center at Andrews AFB, Md.

The annual awards are designed to reward successful patient safety efforts, particularly in the development of a culture of safety; inspire organizations to increase their patient safety efforts; and communicate successful programs and strategies throughout the military health system.

The Lackland wing’s procedure that garnered the award in the policy and procedure category is “Rapid Identification and Registration Process for Trauma Patients” it implemented in April. This policy directs that all Code III trauma patients receive a special registration band and stamp plate when they arrive at the Wilford Hall emergency department.

“Two unique patient identifiers on the band are used to verify the patient against all orders given prior to the patient’s official admission,” said Cynthia Lightner, Wilford Hall’s patient safety program manager. “This complies with the primary goal of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations and eliminates confusion, miscommunication, delay or interruption of patient care.”

The identifiers include a registration number and a name for the patient. An identifying registration band is created by emergency department personnel and immediately placed on the patient’s leg. The band is not removed until the patient is discharged from the hospital.

Information on the band is used to verify the patient against all orders given under the patient’s registration number before their admission. Subsequently, the patient is formally identified, admitted to the hospital using their legal name, and given an admission bracelet. The bracelet and leg band have the same patient identifying number.

“This policy was developed by a multidisciplinary team of personnel from various hospital units,” chief of medical staff Col. (Dr.) Ed Sabanegh said. “They analyzed the existing process, identified areas in the process that were vulnerable for errors, and collectively determined corrective actions for wing-wide deployment. This was an outstanding team effort.”

The Andrews group received the patient safety award in the team training category for its implementation of an innovative surgical operations process.

The “Pre–Operative Operation Risk Management Checkride” is designed to improve care by enhancing communication channels among all members of an operating room team.

This tool was developed to increase awareness of the importance of communication, said Dr. Brigetta Craft, Malcolm Grow’s patient safety manager.

Paralleling lessons learned from the aviation community, the ORM surgery “checkride” mimics that of an aviation pre-flight checklist.

“It has helped expedite care delivery to patients, given caregivers increased control over their environment, and has served as a ‘safety net’ against potential human failings and their consequences,” Dr. Craft said.

The checklist has proved to be an excellent team-building tool and has also served to decrease the incidence of surgical delays and/or cancellations, she said.

In the operating room, tight coordination and communication are essential. Caregivers must be prepared to respond quickly to changing situations.

“Leadership was determined to devise a method to improve communication, thereby promoting a team approach to increase patient safety awareness,” group commander Brig. Gen. Tom Travis said. “I am proud that our team created this benchmark process and can honestly say our patients receive the best care because of it.

The units will receive the awards during the 2006 Tricare conference in late January.

(The 59th Medical Wing and 89th Medical Group public affairs offices contributed to this article.)