Coalition Activities

This page only describes activities sponsored and/or endorsed by the Washington Patient Safety Coalition. Please also visit our page for other conferences and initiatives that might be of interest to the patient safey community.

If you are aware of a patient safety-related event to share with the community, or are seeking opportunities to collaborate or exchange ideas, please contact us.

Patient Safety Network

The Coalition sponsors a network for patient safety professionals committed to improving the safety of patients in our healthcare system. The group facilitates dialogue, collaborates on the development of best practices and regional standards, and harnesses the collective wisdom of peers to make dramatic improvements in healthcare safety.

Patient Safety Webinars

Recognizing the need to offer more learning opportunities to the community, the Coalition expanded its offerings in 2009 to 12 monthly teleconference calls for professionals in the health care community (up from the previous four quarterly calls), covering topics ranging from fall reductions, bedside bar-coding, managing high-alert medications, and safe transitions in care, among others. In 2010, we began using WebEx technology to further enhance the learning opportunities for participants. Check out our schedule of upcoming calls and topics!

Medication Safety Initiative

An initiative is underway to improve medication safety by focusing on the prevention of error via improved communication between prescribers, pharmacists, and patients. Links to several resources are available, including an unsafe abbreviation tip card was created and distributed to Physicians Insurance subscribers.

The Coalition’s CQIP Status

The Washington Patient Safety Coalition is recognized by the State of Washington’s Department of Health as a Coordinated Quality Improvement Program (CQIP). CQIP status provides exemption from disclosure for information and documents specifically created for, collected, and maintained by an approved program. Being a CQIP provides important legal protection for the quality improvement activities carried out under the auspices of the Coalition, and enhances the ability of Coalition partners and participants to collaborate on patient safety issues. The WPSC’s CQIP document includes information about the Coalition’s structure and activities. For additional information about Washington’s CQIP and related laws, see the Department of Health website.