The gaps in our healthcare systems are appearing daily during this stressful COVID-19 time. Lessons learned now will inform the way of the future and if they are heeded, those missing pieces will help mitigate damage the next time we face a global issue. That’s why as healthcare providers, patient partners and system leaders, we have to keep moving forward with decisions, advocacy and quality improvement.
Since I started my advocacy work, I have seen real, authentic systemic change. The attention that has been drawn to error reporting and quality improvement has made significant change in medication safety and is pointing out where the progress is needed. The fact that it took such a horrific event to get there, is the tragedy of the situation, in the same way that the impact that COVID-19 tragedies are having on our current systems. The hope, as I said, is that the learning will not be ignored in the reflection of this time.
I have been keeping a record of the impact that Andrew’s story has had since I began my advocacy and have compiled it onto a page on my website called Andrew’s Impact. I plan to continue to add to this list because I know there will be more positive changes to existing systems and processes, and that patient safety will continue to improve.