JFK Medical Center Teams Up with ASR Alert Systems - North Campus Use Case

The Evolution of HCA’s Patient Safety Emphasis

Patient Safety: A Continued Commitment

The Institute of Medicine’s December 1999 report, “To Err Is Human,” put the entire healthcare community on high alert. It told us medical errors in hospitals account for between 48,000 and 98,000 deaths per year in the U.S.

The report prompted HCA to commit to creating a culture of patient safety throughout its 190 hospitals. Thomas F. Frist, Jr., MD, HCA’s co-founder, and former chairman, is fond of saying “putting patients first” is the secret of success in healthcare. This simple statement quickly became the foundation of HCA’s culture and passion for patient safety and led to the development of the following goals:

• Establish patient safety as a visible commitment to our “putting patients first” philosophy
• Move from blaming people to improving processes
• Improve use of technology to prevent and detect error
• Use data to identify and measure improvements

Using published evidence-based strategies known to prevent errors, the company began developing patient safety initiatives for implementation in each of its facilities. The company organized teams of clinical experts and healthcare managers from facilities around the country and charged them with finding solutions for ensuring patient safety. The efforts progressed rapidly through their collective knowledge and synergy. Patient safety solutions were tested in a few facilities and, once perfected, were rolled out to all HCA hospitals.  Patients at HCA facilities are now benefiting from the evidence-based patient safety programs HCA has implemented and continues to implement.

The company and its hospitals are engaged now, more than ever, in creating solutions that make it easy to do things right and hard to do them wrong.  The work is just beginning. One of the most significant challenges ahead is the need to continually improve the culture of safety. The HCA mission statement affirms “Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life.” This is the reason HCA is continually sharing its mistakes and successes with other healthcare providers. HCA believes healthcare providers, working together, can eliminate many patient safety concerns.

Challenges

With the significant rise in workplace violence incidents in healthcare settings across the United States, JFK Medical Center North was seeking to become a market leader in employee and patient safety. Fast and accurate communication during crisis events was key to achieving this goal.

RELATED:  Safety Strategies for Hospitals

JFK North Campus Solution

Implementing ASR's Critical Incident Response Technology throughout the North Campus Facility to quickly notify security and/or law enforcement of an HCA Healthcare Corporate incident, along with the address and location within the building. 

Incident is Reported Immediately

When immediate action is needed to tend to the situation, the process must be simple and concise. This significantly reduces response time from Security and Law Enforcement while also notifying all those under attack within the organization and building.

Communication is Clear and Redundant

Reliable and redundant methods of alerting persons who are in danger, as well as providing the fastest notification to security and law enforcement by communicating directly with police and security dispatch.

Saving Time Saves Lives

The approach focuses specifically on accelerating notification time to and expedited response from law enforcement and crisis first responders. Responders know what is happening, where it is happening, who it is happening to and help is on the way immediately. 

About ASR Alert Systems

There is a mass shooting crisis plaguing the United States. Historically, law enforcement and first responders were tasked to lead the effort to combat the problem. But today, we must all play a role in active shooter response. ASR acts as a key partner to law enforcement, first responders, cities, towns, school districts, hospital networks, housing communities, and a rapidly growing number of private and public companies.

Outdated Technology

An antiquated process for reporting critical information to first responders during a crisis event

Response Time 

The average police response time to a school active shooter, for example, is 18 minutes.

 *Source:: Homeland Defense and Security

Crisis Event Time 

The average active shooter event takes 13.5 minutes*  *Source: www.policemag.com

The Result 

First Responders are arriving on the scene 4.5 minutes AFTER the active shooter crisis has ended.

The ASR Alert Systems Solution

With the press of a button, officers & dispatch are directly notified of the incident, along with the address and location within the building. They know what is happening, where it is happening, who it is happening to and help is on the way immediately.  This significantly reduces response time from Law Enforcement while also notifying all those under attack within the organization or building. 

The ASR Threat Alert system can be installed and implemented across any vertical market, for any business or school, and can even be utilized for outdoor events.

By installing the ASR Threat Alert System, a business is helping to mitigate the harms of an active shooter or other crisis events.  If you are interested in an ASR Threat Alert System and would like to schedule a FREE LIVE VIRTUAL DEMONSTRATION, please contact us today.

To learn more about ASR Alert Systems, CLICK HERE

JFK North Campus is accredited by the Joint Commission and the Healthcare Facilities Accreditation Program (HFAP), which are both authorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to survey hospitals for compliance with CMS standards. Additionally, JFK North Campus is a teaching hospital that offers accredited internships and residencies.  

To DOWNLOAD a copy of the JFK Medical Center North Campus Use Case CLICK HERE