News Releases

March 8, 2002
WGHS Emphasizes Patient Safety Through Statewide Partnership

For more than a year, the Georgia Partnership for Health and Accountability (PHA) has worked with hospitals around the state in a collaborative effort to continually improve patient safety and quality care. As an active member of this program, West Georgia Health System participates in numerous voluntary initiatives to promote efficient health care practices.

One of those initiatives is a new patient safety brochure, which will be distributed to WGHS patients during National Patient Safety Week, March 10-16. This brochure provides an introduction for patients to become more involved in their health care. Created by the Georgia Hospital Association for the PHA, this informative brochure lists steps to safer health care, patient safety resources, and questions every patient should ask before taking medications.

“The Partnership for Health and Accountability serves as an catalyst for continuous improvement in hospitals,’ says Jerry Fulks, President/CEO of WGHS. “This statewide effort is based on the idea that the collaboration of health care providers facilitates a better learning environment.

“This patient safety brochure encourages health care consumers to take responsibility for their roles in their own health care. Through this and other ongoing efforts, the PHA hopes move one step further to its vision of a healthy Georgia.”

The PHA brings together the health care field with community agencies and individuals to identify risks and the potential for patient safety issues. West Georgia Health System joined forces with other hospitals around the state through the PHA to focus on quality and patient safety issues.

All aspects of hospitals and health systems are represented, including consumers, physicians, hospital executives, pharmacists, risk managers, insurers and other health care providers. The combined observations of each of these departments helps to identify the possibility of medical errors and therefore improve medical processes.

For more information, or to request a copy of the patient safety brochure, please call (706) 845-3326.