Each patient requiring hospitalization is assigned a team of physicians to work together on his or her care. This inpatient care team includes an Attending Physician, a Fellow (physician with advanced oncology training) and a Nurse Practitioner or Physician’s Assistant. The team directs the patient’s care in the hospital with the Attending Physician leading the team. The team makes daily hospital visits to patients (with the interdisciplinary care team); orders tests, procedures and treatments; and, is available to answer any questions the patient or family has. In addition to physicians, the patient’s interdisciplinary care team
includes nurses, pharmacists, social workers, dietitians and other health care professionals.
The care team is present throughout the day in the inpatient hospital unit to attend to patient care and collaborate with nursing and other staff. The new model eliminates time spent by team members going back and forth from inpatient to outpatient settings, thus allowing the team to focus on inpatient care.
The patient’s Primary Physician (oncologist) continues to see the patient in the outpatient clinic, communicates with the hospital care team when the patient is hospitalized, and receives a summary of the patient’s hospital care upon discharge. When a patient is admitted to the hospital, his or her inpatient Attending Physician is in close communication with the Primary Physician throughout the hospital stay.
The process provides for continuity of care between inpatient and outpatient settings.
The Medical Oncology inpatient care team will focus only on patients in the hospital and is a true benefit to hospitalized patients. The model also allows for increased
focus on clinic patients by Primary Physicians, decreased waiting time for clinic patients and maximized efficiency of all City of Hope physicians.
Additional benefits of the new model include:
• Streamlined communication
• Timely discharge planning
• Reduced patient safety risks
• Improved collaboration and an interdisciplinary approach to patient care
• Improved care planning by all disciplines
• Proactive approach to patient care issues
• Increased support to patients and families
• More efficient use of physicians’ time
• Decreased waiting time for patients the new system also decreases time spent in calling various disciplines for consults and referrals, and allows for immediate attention to changes in the patient’s condition.
If you need additional information on the new model of care, contact Claudia Garcia, R.N., clinical nurse manager at City of Hope, 626-256-HOPE (4673), ext. 62278 (or Jill McCormick, R.N., M.S.N., O.C.N., clinical director, Medical Oncology and Nursing Administration, ext. 66010).
NEW IMPROVED TRAM SERVICE AT CITY OF HOPE
A new improved tram service began in late January at City of Hope with the goal of ensuring more prompt and regular service for patients, visitors and employees.
Additional staff members have been employed to drive trams and tram service will be offered by both staff and volunteer drivers from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
As part of the improvements to service, trams will offer a regular route with set tram stops. Our past taxi-style service allowed for personalized service, but was not very efficient and caused long wait times for people calling in service requests. With the new route and tram stops, riders should not have to wait longer than six minutes for a tram pick-up. With the tram stop approach, riders no longer need to call in advance for a tram. They may simply go to the nearest tram stop and wait for the next tram to arrive. Special needs requests for the handicapped, patient appointments, etc., may still be handled by volunteer drivers with a call to the Security Kiosk (ext. 62006).
Drivers will complete a dedicated circuit around the campus with tram stop signs at the following locations, (see attached Campus Map on last page of newsletter).
1. Patient/Visitor Parking Lot
2. Platt Center Walkway
3. Parking Lot G
4. Helford/Brawerman
5. Parking Lot F
6. Parking Lot E
7. Parking Lot D
8. Parking Lot C
9. Cafeteria
10. Blood Donor Center
A single full circuit around the campus takes about 10 to 12 minutes. Factors such as bad weather, high customer volume and sporadic traffic congestion may temporarily affect tram wait times, so riders’ patience and understanding are appreciated.
City of Hope’s volunteer tram drivers, in addition to continuing patient taxi service, will provide regular service for the main patient and visitor areas in the north end of
campus including the Patient/Visitor Parking Lot, Hope and Parsons Village, Helford Clinical Research Hospital, Brawerman and the Main Entrance/Fountain area.
BE A PARTNER IN SAFE PATIENT CARE
March is National Patient Safety Awareness Month. However, safe patient care is City of Hope’s top priority every day of the year. This article will focus on the key role that you can play in making care as safe as possible.
What is “patient safety?”
Some define patient safety as “freedom from accidental injury.” Another way to think about patient safety or safe patient care is “constantly taking action to prevent harm to patients.” Examples of “harm” are injuries resulting from falls, being given the wrong medication or the wrong dose, surgery being done on the wrong site, developing an infection that could have been prevented by good hand washing, etc.
Why is patient safety such a big focus at City of Hope and
across the country?
Too many patients in the United States are harmed by accidents or errors that could have been prevented. Fortunately, improving patient safety has become a focus
at the national level and understanding of practices that enhance the safety of care is continually advancing. City of Hope is constantly taking steps to ensure that you
receive safe, excellent care.
What has City of Hope done to make care as safe as possible?
Here are just a few examples of actions that we’ve taken to enhance patient safety:
• Developed an electronic medication record that provides members of the care team with an up-to-date list of each patient’s medications and any food or drug allergies
• Put in place a plan for preventing falls that includes special precautions for patients who are at high risk of falls
• Changed to chemotherapy infusion pumps that have electronic “guardrails” to protect patients from medication errors
• Conducting weekly patient safety rounds to identify potential safety issues and correct them before they cause problems
• Formed a “Patient and Family Partnership in Safety Team” that includes patient advisors to foster patient-provider teamwork in advancing the safety of care.
Why do patients and families need to be involved?
Research shows that patients who are actively involved in their care are more likely to have better care outcomes.
By “actively involved,” we mean that you:
• Take part in decisions about your care.
• Share information with your care team.
• Ask questions — we want you to speak up.
• Report any concerns that you have about your care or safety.
You are the center of the health care team and can play a vital role in making your care safe.
How do I report a concern about the safety of my care?
You can tell any member of your care team about your concern. If you prefer, you may call the Patient Advocate Office at ext. 62285 to voice your concern. To talk with a “live person” about your concern during evenings, weekends or holidays, call the City of Hope operator (dial “0”) and ask to be connected with the house supervisor.
We want to know right away if you have a concern about your care or safety.
What steps can I take to be a partner in safe patient care?
Here is a starter list of ways you can help keep care safe.
1. Ask questions.
2. Make sure everyone involved in your care has important health information about you.
3. If you are allergic to any medications or foods, be sure to tell us.
4. Remind care providers to clean their hands.
5. Don’t be afraid to ask caregivers if they’ve checked your name and birth date on your armband. You can also ask them to double check that labels on medications,
specimens collected from you (such as blood or urine) — anything that has to do with your care — do match what is on your arm band.
6. If you feel unsteady or dizzy, call someone for help before getting up yourself.
7. If you are having surgery, make sure you and your doctor agree on exactly what will be done and you are clear on what will happen.
8. Learn about each of your medications — what it is for how you are supposed to take it, side effects, whether it is safe to take with other medications, vitamins or herbs and whether you need to avoid any food, drink or activities while taking it.
9. Make sure that you understand the treatment plan that you will use at home.
How can I learn more about taking an active role in my care
and in patient safety?
The City of Hope booklet, “Be A Partner in Safe Patient Care,” offers more suggestions about how you can advance patient safety. If you do not have a copy, you may obtain one by contacting the Patient and Family Resource Desk at ext. 63971 or the Department of Patient, Family & Community Education at 626-301-8221.
The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a wealth of information about being an informed and active health care consumer. You can access the agency’s online resources at www.ahrq.gov/path/beactive/htm.
I’m interested in being part of a patient safety committee at City of Hope. How can I join?
To learn more about the possibility of joining one of our committees as a patient or family advisor, please contact Annette Mercurio in Patient, Family & Community Education at ext. 64888 or via e-mail at amercurio@coh.org.
LEARN MORE ABOUT PATIENT SAFETY
Attend a Patient Safety Discussion at City of Hope
Free refreshments, great speakers and a chance to ask your questions. To find out specific date and location, register for event or obtain more information, call the Department of Patient, Family & Community Education at ext. 62682 or 626-301-8221.
NOTED HEMATOLOGIST NAMED CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER
by Shawn Le
Alexandra M. Levine, M.D., an internationally known expert in lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and AIDS-related malignancies, has been named chief medical officer of
City of Hope.
Levine will be the organization’s chief clinician and will oversee all clinical and hospital care programs at City of Hope. Levine most recently was Distinguished
Professor of Medicine and chair of the Division of Hematology at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California (USC), as well as medical director of USC/Norris Cancer Hospital.
As City of Hope’s chief medical officer, or CMO, Levine will develop and implement the institution’s clinical strategy and program development. She will serve as the primary liaison with the City of Hope Medical Group and its physician members to promote collaboration across disciplines and ensure effective staff recruitment and
retention. Levine will co-lead programs aimed at continually improving the standard of care at City of Hope, including quality of service, patient safety, clinical research, clinical information management and professional education. As chief clinician, she will serve as a role model and facilitator for all clinical staff.
“We are thrilled to have Alexandra Levine join City of Hope. She brings both her vast scientific expertise in hematology and HIV and her limitless compassion for patients facing cancer,” said Michael A. Friedman, M.D., president and chief executive officer. “Dr. Levine is a noted advocate of bringing more humanism into medicine and can address quality patient care from all angles, managing the needs of patients while also providing guidance for the physicians who treat them.”
