The surgery was successful but the patient died – make sure this isn’t you

"The surgery was successful but the patient died." Those are words no one wants to hear.

Yet, each year in United States, there are 1.7 million health care associated infections (HAIs) of which surgical site infections are the most common, accounting for 31 percent. Many of these infections are preventable, if only health care consumers would ask a few basic questions before they become patients. We no longer live in a culture of Dr. Welby, but rather in one of of Dr. Oz. We should now know not to choose a hospital simply because it is close to our home or to avoid asking our doctors questions for fear of offending them.

Unfortunately, despite many sources of safety information that are available, several studies show that most patients just don't use it. Those who do attempt to use it often find that it is difficult to understand. Studies also show, contrary to what might be expected, that those with less education and lower socio-economic status are more likely to try to find information. Is this because more highly educated, wealthy consumers believe they have chosen the best doctors and the best hospitals and therefore don't have to worry about getting the best care?

So, what motivates consumers to become what we refer to as empowered? Having been a victim of an HAI is the single most important factor that empowers patients to ask questions. The question is what can we do to empower patients BEFORE they become victims of this silent epidemic of HAIs?

The answer is very simple - a patient checklist. There is a surgical site checklist for surgeons to use in the OR. Now, there is one for consumers that they or a family member can understand. For example, Johns Hopkins Hospital has an app that includes a family involvement menu, where loved ones can select from 10 daily care activities they wish to assist the clinical staff with. These include activities as simple as brushing teeth, an often overlooked task that is important in helping to prevent hospital acquired pneumonia in ICU patients, the second leading cause of death in these patients.

We must empower consumers before they become patients with the knowledge to ask question(s) and act on the information. For example, did you know that having a bath each day you are in the hospital can help decrease your chances of getting MRSA or other superbugs? Did you know that health care workers wash or sanitize their hands less than 50 percent of the time?

I often hear from victims of HAIs saying, "if only I knew." You can, in fact, know in advance, and it is in your own best interests to learn the simple facts and tasks that can help you avoid becoming one of the 1.7 million who develop HAIs or one of the 100,000 who die from them each year.

Maryanne McGuckin, Dr.ScEd, FSHEA, a former faculty member of the University of Pennsylvania, is president of McGuckin Methods International and an invited task force member of the World Health Organization's Global Patient Safety Challenge. She is also the co-author of The Patient Survival Guide: 8 Simple Solutions to Prevent Hospital and Healthcare Associated Infections.

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