Get ready to Speak Up!

Hospital to educate public on patient safety

Montreal, January 31, 2014 – More than breast cancer, motor vehicle accidents and AIDS combined, preventable adverse events and medical errors contribute to the deaths of  up to 24,000 Canadians each year. In an effort to sensitize the public to being vigilant about the care they receive, the Jewish General Hospital’s (JGH) Quality Program is going on tour and holding presentations at community centres and seniors’ residences to educate patients and their families on the importance of being informed and active partners in their healthcare. 
The presentation series – kicking off on Monday, February 3 at the JGH – is part of the Quality Program’s Speak Up! Campaign which aims to educate the public on their rights and responsibilities as patients and the methods they can use to ensure they are better prepared to ask important questions and make informed decisions about their healthcare.
 “In integrating patients and their families directly into their care and enhancing the notions of communication and teamwork, the Speak Up! Campaign hopes to decrease the number of errors in care and increase positive healthcare experiences and outcomes,” explains Mr. Bernie Weinstein, Chairperson of the JGH Speak Up! Campaign, community representative and JGH Patient Advisor.  
“Patients and their families are the greatest stakeholders in the campaign to improve patient safety and preventing adverse events,” explains Markirit Armutlu, JGH Quality Program Coordinator. “Patients and families’ questions and comments are often a good source of information about potential safety issues, and this is why we have decided to launch this important campaign to actively involve them in the process of care.”
The JGH Quality Program launched the Speak Up! Campaign in November 2011 with a one-of-a-kind approach to improving patient-clinician communications and engaging patients more actively in their care. While the first two years of the campaign focused primarily on hospital caregivers – sensitizing them to the needs of the patient and improving their responsiveness to their questions – the initiative is now increasingly targeting patients and their families. This phase, led by Mr. Weinstein, involves reaching out to JGH patients in the hospital through pamphlets and posters, as well as the community at large through presentations. 
Upcoming presentations: 
February 3, 2014
7:30 p.m. in the Block Amphitheatre (B 116) at the Jewish General Hospital

3755 Côte-Sainte-Catherine Rd. 

Montreal, Quebec H3T 1E2