McLeod Regional Medical Center Florence, Quality & Safety


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Improving Patient Safety

Issues surrounding Patient Safety are attracting national attention. McLeod Health is at the forefront in addressing, identifying and improving the safety of patients. These efforts are just part of the McLeod effort to continue improving the quality of care in all respects.


Imagine this, an elderly patient is admitted to the hospital suffering from a heart attack. After receiving care in several units, lab tests reveal the blood pressure medicine he had been given in the hospital adversely affected his liver and kidneys. Although his physician writes an order to discontinue the medication immediately, due to a series of miscommunications he was given the medicine five additional days before it was stopped. Three days later a different doctor sent the patient home with a prescription for the same blood pressure medicine and, the patient continued to take it. Roll Your Mouse Each Picture To Read The Story!

What McLeod Did

In 1997, we established a group, now called the Medication Safety Committee.  It is composed of medical staff, senior administration, pharmacy, education, nursing, risk management, respiratory therapy, safety and other disciplines involved in the global problem of medication delivery.

The goal is to remove the possibility of human error using computer technology while reducing the number of steps in the process.

We have reduced the number of steps from ordering medication to receiving it from seventeen to eleven.  We expect to reduce these steps even more.  The average time for patients to receive medications has decreased from 105 minutes to 17.  Other process improvements include separating drugs that look alike and sound alike and double-checking high alert drugs that are more likely to increase the possibility of harm to the patient.

With patient safety a top priority, McLeod feels strongly that even one error is too many and is determined to eliminate the possibility for any medication errors to occur.

What Can Patients Do

Public Access to Information or To Report a Concern

Any patient, visitor or employee who has an issue about medical care or safety at McLeod Health is encouraged to express their concerns by contacting a member of the McLeod Administrative staff or a nursing supervisor.

For:
McLeod Regional Medical Center - Florence	call: 843-777-5150
McLeod Regional Medical Center - Darlington	call: 843-777-1158
McLeod Regional Medical Center - Dillon	call: 843-777-1261
Or email the concern to: www.mcleodhealth.org. The public may also directly contact the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) or the Joint Commission's Office of Quality Monitoring to report any concerns or complaints. To contact DHEC, call (803) 545-4205 or mail information to 2600 Bull Street, Columbia, SC, 29201. To contact Joint Commission, call 1-800-994-6610 or send an email to: complaint@jcaho.org.

The information on this site is intended to increase your awareness and understanding of specific health issues and services at McLeod Health.
It should not be used for diagnosis or as a substitute for health care by your physician.
To report technical issues, please contact us. Public Access to Information or To Report a Concern.
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