Patient Safety Awareness Week

The care and safety of patients at the Community Health Center of Branch County (CHC) is and always has been our top priority. Here are some ways we ensure our patients remain safe and receive excellent patient care:

•  CHC put into place a communication system to identify fall risk patients. After patients are accessed they are each assigned special colored socks. Green socks indicate that a patient is very low fall risk, yellow sock are a moderate fall risk, and red socks are a fall risk concern and need additional assistance when moving.

• Communication boards were implemented in every room.  These boards tell patients who their care team is, what they can expect today, who will be contacted with status updates, and an anticipated discharge date. 

• CHC encourages patients to be their own advocate and welcomes family members to advocate on behalf of their loved ones.  Speak up if you are confused about a procedure, medication, or would like something explained further. No question is ridiculous, and you can bet that your doctor has heard most questions before.

• CHC staff can help you manager your medications.  It is encouraged that patients keep a running list of what medications they take on a daily/weekly basis. Share that list with your physician and remember to include how much of each medication you take including the units of measurement. The CHC Patient Portal can also help!  Access your record to see what medications you were discharged with and what the plan is for follow up.  When all else fails, never feel badly calling the hospital or your physician to get clarification.