Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety Announces New Board of Advisors for Patient Safety

CHICAGO, Aug. 28, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety today announced that it has formed a Board of Advisors to help set direction and offer advice on key patient safety initiatives.

The Advisory Board will consist of the following individuals:

• Brian & Cindy Abbiehl (A Promise to Amanda Foundation)
• Lenore Alexander (Leah's Legacy)
• Michele G. Curtis, MD, MPH, MML (CeeShell Consulting; editor of "Glass' Office Gynecology")
• Maria Cvach, DNP, RN, CCRN (Assistant Director of Nursing, Clinical Standards, The Johns Hopkins Hospital)
• Frank Federico, RPh (Patient Safety Advisory Group, The Joint Commission; Executive Director, Institute for Healthcare Improvement)
• Debra Fox, MBA, RRT-NPS (Director, Respiratory Therapy, Wesley Medical Center)
• Melissa Langhan, MD (Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Yale School of Medicine)
• Jenifer Lightdale, MD (Director, Patient Safety and Quality, Division of GI/Nutrition, Children's Hospital Boston)
• Frank Overdyk, MSEE, MD (Executive Director for Research, North American Partners in Anesthesiology; Professor of Anesthesiology, Hofstra North Shore-LIJ School of Medicine)

Michael Wong, JD, founder and executive director of the Physician-Patient Alliance, said:

"We are very pleased that such a well respected body of individuals has joined the Board of Advisors and offered to provide insights into the best way to improve patient safety at hospitals across the country.

"Since its inception, the Physician-Patient Alliance has strived to ensure all stakeholders' voices are heard on matters of patient safety. We are excited to have such a diversity of perspectives represented on the Board of Advisors.

"The fact that the Advisory Board consists of patients, family members, doctors, nurses, respiratory therapists, professors, and researchers is a testament to the Physician-Patient Alliance's belief that true patient safety requires the active involvement of many stakeholders from a wide range of backgrounds.

"Health and safety can be improved at hospitals and other healthcare facilities across the country. The Physician-Patient Alliance believes that by forming this Board of Advisors we will continue to significantly impact patient lives and advance key patient safety initiatives."

Titles and organizations with whom advisors are affiliated have been identified for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as an endorsement of or support by such organization to PPAHS or the viewpoints communicated by the advisor.

About PPAHS

The Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety (PPAHS) is an advocacy group devoted to improving patient health and safety. PPAHS supporters include physicians, patients, individuals, and organizations.

PPAHS recently released a concise checklist that reminds caregivers of the essential steps needed to be taken to initiate Patient-Controlled Analgesia (PCA) with a patient and to continue to assess that patient's use of PCA. For a free download of the PCA safety checklist, please visit http://www.ppahs.org

In addition, PPAHS is developing a checklist targeting Venous Thromboembolism (commonly referred to as blood clots) for women having cesarean and vaginal delivery, and the extension of prophylaxis post discharge; for more on this initiative, please see http://ppahs.org/2013/05/02/preventing-death-following-cesarean-delivery/

SOURCE Physician-Patient Alliance for Health & Safety