MHA and ONL Launch Updated Patient Safety and Quality Web Site
Effort Dedicated to Senator Edward Kennedy
In a tribute to the memory of Massachusetts Senator Edward M. Kennedy, longtime champion of healthcare related issues, the Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) and Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL) have launched an updated patient safety and quality website as part of their rebranded PatientCareLink commitment to care.
MHA and ONL were co-sponsors of PatientsFirst – the 2005 groundbreaking healthcare transparency effort to improve patient care quality and safety – and are pleased and enthusiastic to welcome web visitors to the program’s next generation.
Just like its predecessor, PatientCareLink is dedicated to voluntarily providing patients, families and caregivers with the most transparent information available on care provided at Massachusetts hospitals. But in addition to its new name, the PatientCareLink website has also been redesigned to make it easier than ever for the public to access important quality and safety information from Massachusetts hospitals, and to help patients and their families become more active participants in the care they receive.
"PatientsFirst was a first-in-the-nation effort to bring transparency to healthcare. The time was now right to take the next step forward in that commitment by updating the site with state-of-the-art features to make the information more comprehensive, user-friendly and relevant to today’s patient and family. We also felt this was a fitting way to pay tribute to Senator Kennedy’s lifelong commitment and tireless work in the pursuit of quality, affordable healthcare," said MHA President & CEO Lynn Nicholas, FACHE.
"As patients and healthcare consumers, it is essential that we protect ourselves and our loved ones through the promotion of patient safety," said State Senator Richard T. Moore (D-Uxbridge). "PatientCareLink offers a vital tool for all of us to use in advancing transparency and accessibility within our healthcare system."
The PatientCareLink site now offers broader information, advanced resources, a fresher look and easy-to-navigate landscape, and a contemporary feel. Through the increased wealth of information on this new website, healthcare workers, patients and their families can see how individual hospitals score on dozens of measures, from falls in hospitals to heart attack care, and treatment for pneumonia.
"PatientCareLink has evolved into a forum that goes beyond the statistics to offer in-depth insight into the care Massachusetts hospitals provide," said Sharon Gale, RN, MS, Executive Director of ONL. "You'll also see success stories on the site about the day-to-day work hospitals accomplish to improve healthcare quality, and contemporary information on today's healthcare workforce, and on what hospitals and nurse managers are doing to educate the next generation of nurses."
The site can be reached at www.patientcarelink.org. Please update any bookmarks or other "Favorites" on your computer that may be affected.
About the Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA)
The Massachusetts Hospital Association (MHA) is a voluntary, not-for-profit organization comprised of hospitals and health systems, related organizations, and other members with a common interest in promoting the good health of the people of the Commonwealth. Through leadership in public advocacy, education, and information, MHA represents and advocates for the collective interests of its members and supports their efforts to provide high quality, cost effective and accessible care.
About the Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL)
The Organization of Nurse Leaders (ONL) is a statewide not-for-profit professional association committed to the advancement of professional nursing, promoting the delivery of quality patient care and influencing the development of health policy. ONL is committed to fostering the development of nurse leaders across the continuum through mentorship, collaboration and education and to providing an organized structure that promotes support, research, education, and professional development among members.