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In This Issue:
BWHer Linda Henry
Following a whole year of research and exploring ways to promote employee accountability for patients’ belongings, the ASCEND team developed the Tag It, Green Bag It project. This new strategy, ultimately carried out by the Department of Patient/Family Relations, is a way to decrease lost belongings, increase patient satisfaction and bring awareness to the issue.
“Lost belongings dramatically affect patient satisfaction and the ability of patients and their families to feel confident and comfortable with our ability to deliver the quality care that we promote,” said Gretchen Flack, Patient/Family representative, Department of Patient/Family Relations.
The Tag It, Green Bag It project consists of providing patients with Green Slide-Loc Patient Belonging Bags as well as Slide-Loc Pouches for glasses, dentures, hearing aids, and other smaller items, and tagging the bags with a label including the patient’s first and last name as well as medical record number. “The color green was picked to make belongings bags more visible on beds and underneath stretchers,” said Flack.
“The Patient/Family Relations Department is aiming to increase staff awareness and accountability for managing patient belongings as well as increasing visibility of patient belongings hospital-wide,” she added.
The new green bags will be implemented during the second week in February. In the next few weeks, representatives from Patient/Family Relations will be visiting units and speaking with staff to answer questions about the bags, and the process for managing patient belongings. For more information, email Flack (gflack@partners.org).